amass_scan · Kali MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What amass_scan does on Kali

AI agents invoke amass_scan to trigger actions in Kali. 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 amass_scan needs a policy

This tool executes the Amass subdomain enumeration and attack surface mapping tool, which actively queries DNS, certificates, APIs, and potentially the target network. It is part of a Kali Linux pentesting framework. While primarily reconnaissance (Read-like), it actively executes an external tool that sends network traffic to targets, classifying it as Execute.

From the tool's definition 'Execute amass with the provided parameters' — runs the Amass reconnaissance/OSINT tool on a Kali Linux penetration testing server supporting 'network scanning, web scanning, password attacks and 90+ tools'

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

amass_scan Rate-limited

amass_scan 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": {
    "amass_scan": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "amass_scan_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 Kali, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about amass_scan

What does the amass_scan tool do? +

Execute amass with the provided parameters. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Kali MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on amass_scan? +

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

What risk level is amass_scan? +

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

Can I rate-limit amass_scan? +

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

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

amass_scan is provided by the Kali MCP server (pentestt00ls/kali-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.