cortex_health · Cortex MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What cortex_health does on Cortex MCP

AI agents invoke cortex_health to trigger actions in Cortex MCP. 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.

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why cortex_health needs a policy

While the primary function is diagnostics (Read), the auto-repair capability means the tool can modify or fix files and database state without explicit user instruction. This side-effect elevates it to Execute. Misuse or malfunction could alter files or DB entries unexpectedly, warranting medium severity.

From the tool's definition 'Auto-repairs common problems' and 'Check DB integrity, missing tests, open issues, broken files' — the tool not only reads/checks but also actively executes automatic repairs

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

cortex_health Rate-limited

cortex_health 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.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "cortex_health": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "cortex_health_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

RATE-LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Instant setup, no code required.

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

FAQ

Questions about cortex_health

What does the cortex_health tool do? +

Check DB integrity, missing tests, open issues, broken files. Auto-repairs common problems. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Cortex MCP MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on cortex_health? +

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

What risk level is cortex_health? +

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

Can I rate-limit cortex_health? +

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

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

cortex_health is provided by the Cortex MCP server (neuralnexustech/cortex-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.