High Risk →

run_md

Run ABACUS Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation.

How to control run_md ↓

What run_md does on Abacus

AI agents invoke run_md to trigger actions in Abacus. 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.

High Risk

Why run_md needs a policy

This tool triggers execution of an external computational process (ABACUS MD engine) with side effects that persist in the system state and outputs. While not destructive by itself, it is a command execution that could consume significant computational resources or produce unintended results if parameters are maliciously or accidentally misspecified.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'run_md' combined with description 'Run ABACUS Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation' indicates execution of a computational simulation.

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access run_md gives an agent:

How to control run_md

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Abacus, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for run_md:

policy.json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "run_md": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "run_md_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

run_md 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.

  1. Create a free account and register Abacus — nothing to install.
  2. Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
  3. Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.
RATE-LIMIT THIS TOOL →

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Related tools and policies

Go deeper

Questions about run_md

What does the run_md tool do? +

Run ABACUS Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Abacus MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on run_md? +

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

What risk level is run_md? +

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

Can I rate-limit run_md? +

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

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

run_md is provided by the Abacus MCP server (phelanshao/abacus-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Abacus tool call.

Start from Abacus, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.

Free to start. No card required.

22 Abacus tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.

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