wait · Hermes Computer Use MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What wait does on Hermes Computer Use

AI agents invoke wait to trigger actions in Hermes Computer Use. 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 wait needs a policy

This tool triggers external operations (pausing/timing control) whose effects depend on the argument (milliseconds duration). While it has minimal blast radius compared to other browser automation tools on this server, it is fundamentally an Execute action as it controls program flow and timing during automated browser operations.

From the tool's definition Tool performs a sleep/wait operation that pauses execution for a specified duration (ms milliseconds). Within the context of browser automation ('drives a real Chrome browser'), this is an execution action that controls the timing of automated operations.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

wait Rate-limited

wait 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": {
    "wait": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "wait_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 Hermes Computer Use, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about wait

What does the wait tool do? +

Sleep for ms milliseconds (useful to wait for page loads/animations). It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Hermes Computer Use MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on wait? +

Register the Hermes Computer Use MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for wait: 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 Hermes Computer Use. Nothing to install.

What risk level is wait? +

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

Can I rate-limit wait? +

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

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

wait is provided by the Hermes Computer Use MCP server (noah3521/hermes-computer-use). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.