High Risk →

PostgreSQL_kill_connection

Terminate a specific database connection by PID.

How to control PostgreSQL_kill_connection ↓

What PostgreSQL_kill_connection does on Postgres

AI agents invoke PostgreSQL_kill_connection to trigger actions in Postgres. 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.

High Risk

Why PostgreSQL_kill_connection needs a policy

Killing a database connection forcibly terminates an active session, which is an external operation with immediate side effects (dropping the connection, potentially aborting in-flight transactions). While not permanently destructive to data, it is an irreversible action against a running process and can cause cascading failures (e.g., application errors, transaction rollbacks).

From the tool's definition "Terminate a specific database connection by PID"

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access PostgreSQL_kill_connection gives an agent:

How to control PostgreSQL_kill_connection

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Postgres, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for PostgreSQL_kill_connection:

policy.json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "PostgreSQL_kill_connection": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "postgresql_kill_connection_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

PostgreSQL_kill_connection 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.

  1. Create a free account and register Postgres — nothing to install.
  2. Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
  3. Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.
RATE-LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Free to start. No card required.

Related tools and policies

Go deeper

Questions about PostgreSQL_kill_connection

What does the PostgreSQL_kill_connection tool do? +

Terminate a specific database connection by PID. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Postgres MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on PostgreSQL_kill_connection? +

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

What risk level is PostgreSQL_kill_connection? +

PostgreSQL_kill_connection is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.

Can I rate-limit PostgreSQL_kill_connection? +

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

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

PostgreSQL_kill_connection is provided by the Postgres MCP server (mukul975/postgres-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Postgres tool call.

Start from Postgres, 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.

239 Postgres tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.

// GET IN TOUCH

Have a question or want to learn more? Send us a message.

Message sent.

We'll get back to you soon.