download_audio · Claud-Ear MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What download_audio does on Claud-Ear

AI agents use download_audio to create or update resources in Claud-Ear — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Claud-Ear environment.

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why download_audio needs a policy

This tool fetches remote audio content and writes it to the local filesystem as a WAV file. It creates new data (the downloaded file) on disk, making it a Write operation. It is not purely Read (it has the side effect of writing a file), not Execute (no code/commands are run), and not Destructive. Misuse could involve downloading large files, copyrighted content, or filling disk space, giving it medium severity.

From the tool's definition Download audio from a YouTube or SoundCloud URL as a WAV file

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

download_audio Rate-limited

download_audio stays usable, but capped — an agent stuck in a loop can't make hundreds of changes a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "download_audio": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "download_audio_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 30,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Instant setup, no code required.

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

FAQ

Questions about download_audio

What does the download_audio tool do? +

Download audio from a YouTube or SoundCloud URL as a WAV file. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Claud-Ear MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on download_audio? +

Register the Claud-Ear MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for download_audio: 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 Claud-Ear. Nothing to install.

What risk level is download_audio? +

download_audio is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.

Can I rate-limit download_audio? +

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

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

download_audio is provided by the Claud-Ear MCP server (null-phnix/claud-ear). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.