plane-instance-update · Plane MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What plane-instance-update does on Plane

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

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why plane-instance-update needs a policy

This tool modifies instance-level configuration settings rather than deleting or executing arbitrary commands. The updates are reversible (settings can be changed again), placing it in the Write category rather than Destructive or Execute. However, modifying instance domain and name could have significant downstream effects on system connectivity and identity, warranting high severity.

From the tool's definition Tool description states: 'Update instance settings (name, domain, telemetry).' The word 'Update' combined with modification of critical infrastructure settings (domain, instance name) indicates reversible data modification.

Risk signalsAdmin/system-level operation

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

plane-instance-update Rate-limited

plane-instance-update 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": {
    "plane-instance-update": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "plane-instance-update_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 Plane, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about plane-instance-update

What does the plane-instance-update tool do? +

Update instance settings (name, domain, telemetry). Requires admin access. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Plane MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on plane-instance-update? +

Register the Plane MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for plane-instance-update: 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 Plane. Nothing to install.

What risk level is plane-instance-update? +

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

Can I rate-limit plane-instance-update? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the plane-instance-update 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 plane-instance-update completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for plane-instance-update. 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 plane-instance-update? +

plane-instance-update is provided by the Plane MCP server (philipvanlewis/plane-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.