create_record · Devon MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What create_record does on Devon

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

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why create_record needs a policy

Creating records modifies the DEVONthink database by adding new data. This falls squarely into the Write category as it creates data reversibly. Severity is medium because an AI agent could spam the database with unwanted records, but the impact is not directly financial, destructive (irreversible), or operationally critical compared to executing arbitrary commands.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'create_record' and description 'Create a new record in DEVONthink' indicate creating new data in the system. This is reversible (records can be deleted via 'delete_record' sibling tool).

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

create_record Rate-limited

create_record 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": {
    "create_record": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "create_record_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 Devon, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about create_record

What does the create_record tool do? +

Create a new record in DEVONthink. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Devon MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on create_record? +

Register the Devon MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for create_record: 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 Devon. Nothing to install.

What risk level is create_record? +

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

Can I rate-limit create_record? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the create_record 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 create_record completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for create_record. 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 create_record? +

create_record is provided by the Devon MCP server (mnott/devon). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.