power_off_vm · Nutanix MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What power_off_vm does on Nutanix

AI agents invoke power_off_vm to trigger actions in Nutanix. 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 power_off_vm needs a policy

Powering off a VM triggers an external operation (graceful shutdown) on a running virtual machine. This is an Execute-category action because it causes a significant state change on infrastructure. While it is not fully irreversible (the VM can be powered back on with power_on_vm), it disrupts running workloads and services, warranting a high severity rating due to potential service outages if misused by an AI agent.

From the tool's definition Transition a VM from On to Off (graceful shutdown)

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

power_off_vm Rate-limited

power_off_vm 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": {
    "power_off_vm": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "power_off_vm_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 Nutanix, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about power_off_vm

What does the power_off_vm tool do? +

Transition a VM from On to Off (graceful shutdown). It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Nutanix MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on power_off_vm? +

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

What risk level is power_off_vm? +

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

Can I rate-limit power_off_vm? +

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

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

power_off_vm is provided by the Nutanix MCP server (nobanks/nutanix-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.