Launch an application by path or name.
AI agents invoke launch_application to trigger actions in OODA Computer Control. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call — builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.
This tool executes external applications on the system. While not destructive in itself, launching an application can trigger arbitrary side effects depending on what application is invoked—it could perform reads, writes, deletions, network operations, or other potentially harmful actions. This makes it an Execute risk (triggering external operations whose consequences depend on arguments).
From the tool's definition The tool 'launch_application' launches an application by path or name. The server description emphasizes 'comprehensive computer control capabilities' including 'shell commands' and 'external operations,' and the sibling tools include batch_exec_cli and…
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access launch_application gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and OODA Computer Control, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for launch_application:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"launch_application": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "launch_application_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 10,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}launch_application stays usable, but rate-capped — a runaway agent can't fire it dozens of times a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Launch an application by path or name. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the OODA Computer Control MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
Register the OODA Computer Control MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for launch_application: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches OODA Computer Control. Nothing to install.
launch_application is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the launch_application rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for launch_application. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
launch_application is provided by the OODA Computer Control MCP server (mnehmos/mnehmos.ooda.mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from OODA Computer Control, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
Free to start. No card required.
99 OODA Computer Control tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.