mail_archive_email · Pyfastmail MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What mail_archive_email does on Pyfastmail

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

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why mail_archive_email needs a policy

This tool changes email location/state (Write category) rather than permanently destroying data. While reversible, mass archival could hide important emails from inbox view, and an agent misusing this could archive critical messages, causing operational disruption. Severity is medium because the action is recoverable and doesn't meet the destructive or financial threshold.

From the tool's definition Tool moves emails to Archive mailbox. The action is reversible (emails can be moved back from Archive), modifying email organization state without deletion.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

mail_archive_email Rate-limited

mail_archive_email 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": {
    "mail_archive_email": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "mail_archive_email_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 Pyfastmail, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about mail_archive_email

What does the mail_archive_email tool do? +

Move one or more emails to the Archive mailbox. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Pyfastmail MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on mail_archive_email? +

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

What risk level is mail_archive_email? +

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

Can I rate-limit mail_archive_email? +

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

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

mail_archive_email is provided by the Pyfastmail MCP server (pjosols/pyfastmail-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.