acquire_lock · Mnehmos Synch MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What acquire_lock does on Mnehmos Synch

AI agents use acquire_lock to create or update resources in Mnehmos Synch — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Mnehmos Synch environment.

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why acquire_lock needs a policy

Acquiring a lock modifies the state of a resource by marking it as locked, preventing other agents from accessing it. This is a reversible write operation (locks can be released), not destructive. Misuse could cause deadlocks or resource contention in agent swarms, hence medium severity.

From the tool's definition Acquire a lock on a resource for concurrent agent access

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

acquire_lock Rate-limited

acquire_lock stays usable, but capped — an agent stuck in a loop can't make hundreds of changes a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "acquire_lock": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "acquire_lock_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 30,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Instant setup, no code required.

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: every tool call is checked against your rule before it reaches Mnehmos Synch, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about acquire_lock

What does the acquire_lock tool do? +

Acquire a lock on a resource for concurrent agent access. Used by agent swarms. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Mnehmos Synch MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on acquire_lock? +

Register the Mnehmos Synch MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for acquire_lock: 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 Mnehmos Synch. Nothing to install.

What risk level is acquire_lock? +

acquire_lock is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.

Can I rate-limit acquire_lock? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the acquire_lock 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.

How do I block acquire_lock completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for acquire_lock. 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.

What MCP server provides acquire_lock? +

acquire_lock is provided by the Mnehmos Synch MCP server (mnehmos/mnehmos.synch.mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.