AI agents invoke browser_start_video to trigger actions in Playwright. 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.
This tool initiates video recording of browser activity, which is an executable operation with external side effects. While not destructive or financial, it executes a browser action that cannot be trivially undone and could capture sensitive information. The high severity reflects that an agent misusing this could record confidential sessions or user interactions without consent.
From the tool's definition Tool name is 'browser_start_video' on the Playwright server, which is a browser automation framework. The sibling tools (browser_click, browser_drag, browser_console_messages) confirm this server controls browser operations.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access browser_start_video gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Playwright, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for browser_start_video:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"browser_start_video": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "browser_start_video_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 10,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}browser_start_video 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.
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browser_start_video. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Playwright MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
Register the Playwright MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for browser_start_video: 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 Playwright. Nothing to install.
browser_start_video is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the browser_start_video 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.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for browser_start_video. 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.
browser_start_video is provided by the Playwright MCP server (@playwright/mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Playwright, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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68 Playwright tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.