delete-database

THE RISK

Critical Risk

Why delete-database needs a policy

Deleting a database is an irreversible operation that destroys all data contained within it. This has the highest blast radius among destructive actions, as it cannot be undone without restoration from backups. The tool matches the Destructive category definition of irreversibly deleting data. Severity is critical due to the large-scale data loss potential and lack of recovery mechanism built into the tool itself.

From the tool's definition Tool name is 'delete-database' and description states 'Deletes a database'. The verb 'delete' combined with the scope 'database' indicates irreversible removal of data.

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access delete-database gives an agent:

POLICY

How to control delete-database

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

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "hide": [
    "delete-database"
  ]
}

delete-database disappears from the agent's tool list entirely, and any attempt to call it is denied. The rest of the server keeps working.

Create a free account and register Nile — nothing to install.
Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.

RESTRICT THIS TOOL →

Free to start. No card required.

EXPLORE

Related tools and policies

More Nile tools

Destructive delete-tenant Deletes a tenant from the specified database Execute execute-sql Executes a SQL query on a Nile database Write create-database Creates a new Nile database Write create-tenant Creates a new tenant in the specified database Read get-connection-string Gets a PostgreSQL connection string with fresh credentials Read get-database Gets details of a specific database Read list-databases Lists all databases in the workspace Read list-resources Lists all tables and their descriptions in the specified database

All 11 Nile tools →

Destructive tools on other servers

Android Forensics ADB MCP Server create_full_backup 0xarchive web3_revoke_key Frida Game Hacking MCP clear_scan cPanel MCP Server clear_spam_box

Go deeper

Critical-risk tools in Nile → Every critical-risk tool this server exposes, in one view.
All critical-risk MCP tools → Every critical-risk tool across the catalogue, and the policy pattern that contains them.
The MCP Attack Database → Documented attack patterns against MCP deployments — and the policies that stop them.
Blast radius → How much damage one compromised or confused agent can do — and how to bound it.
Tool call approval → Approval gates on individual tool calls: auto-allow, prompt, or deny.
Rate Limiting MCP Tool Calls: A Practical Guide →
MCP Security: Why Prompt Guardrails Aren't Enough →

FAQ

Questions about delete-database

What does the delete-database tool do? +

Deletes a database. It is categorised as a Destructive tool in the Nile MCP Server, which means it can permanently delete or destroy data. Block by default and require explicit approval.

How do I enforce a policy on delete-database? +

Register the Nile MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for delete-database: 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 Nile. Nothing to install.

What risk level is delete-database? +

delete-database is a Destructive tool with critical risk. Critical-risk tools should be blocked by default and only enabled with explicit human approval.

Can I rate-limit delete-database? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the delete-database 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 delete-database completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for delete-database. 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 delete-database? +

delete-database is provided by the Nile MCP server (@niledatabase/nile-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 Nile tool call.

Start from Nile, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.

CHECK YOUR STACK →