supersede · Vault Memory MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What supersede does on Vault Memory

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

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why supersede needs a policy

This tool modifies the state of an existing document by marking it as superseded, which is a metadata/status update. It does not delete the document (that would be Destructive) but rather flags it with a relationship to a replacement. This is a reversible write operation on document metadata. Misuse could corrupt knowledge provenance or hide valid notes, warranting medium severity.

From the tool's definition Mark an existing memory document as superseded by a replacement document

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

supersede Rate-limited

supersede 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": {
    "supersede": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "supersede_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 Vault Memory, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about supersede

What does the supersede tool do? +

Mark an existing memory document as superseded by a replacement document. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Vault Memory MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on supersede? +

Register the Vault Memory MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for supersede: 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 Vault Memory. Nothing to install.

What risk level is supersede? +

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

Can I rate-limit supersede? +

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

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

supersede is provided by the Vault Memory MCP server (owrede/vault-memory). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.