add_topic · Paper Distill MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What add_topic does on Paper Distill MCP

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

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why add_topic needs a policy

The tool creates or modifies topic entries (reversible Write operation) in a research curation system. With no description provided, confidence is reduced, but the name and context of sibling tools strongly indicate data creation/modification. Severity is low because topic management poses minimal risk—any changes are reversible and affect only metadata in an academic workflow.

From the tool's definition Tool name is 'add_topic' and belongs to a server managing academic paper collections with topic management. Sibling tools include 'manage_topics' and 'filter_duplicates', suggesting this modifies stored topic configurations.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

add_topic Rate-limited

add_topic 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": {
    "add_topic": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "add_topic_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 Paper Distill MCP, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about add_topic

What does the add_topic tool do? +

add_topic. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Paper Distill MCP MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on add_topic? +

Register the Paper Distill MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for add_topic: 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 Paper Distill MCP. Nothing to install.

What risk level is add_topic? +

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

Can I rate-limit add_topic? +

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

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

add_topic is provided by the Paper Distill MCP server (pypi:paper-distill-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.