candidate_add_tag

THE RISK

Medium Risk

Why candidate_add_tag needs a policy

Adding tags to candidates is a reversible modification of candidate profile metadata. It does not delete data (ruling out Destructive), does not execute arbitrary code or trigger external side effects (ruling out Execute), does not involve financial transactions (ruling out Financial), and is not merely a read operation (ruling out Read).

From the tool's definition Tool description explicitly states "This is a WRITE operation" and the function name indicates adding metadata (tags) to existing candidate records in the Ashby ATS system.

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

POLICY

How to control candidate_add_tag

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

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "candidate_add_tag": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "candidate_add_tag_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 30,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

candidate_add_tag 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.

Create a free account and register Ashby MCP Server — nothing to install.
Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.

LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Free to start. No card required.

EXPLORE

Related tools and policies

More Ashby MCP Server tools

Write application_change_stage Move an application to a different interview stage. Write application_create Create an application linking a candidate to a job. Write candidate_create Create a new candidate in Ashby. Only Write candidate_create_note Add a note to a candidate. Supports HTML formatting in the note body. Read application_info Get full details for a single application by ID. Returns candidate, job, Read application_list List applications (candidates in a hiring pipeline). Filter by jobId to see Read candidate_full_profile Get a complete view of a candidate: their info, all applications (with job Read candidate_info Get details of a single candidate by ID. For a complete profile including

All 21 Ashby MCP Server tools →

Write tools on other servers

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Go deeper

The MCP Attack Database → Documented attack patterns against MCP deployments — and the policies that stop them.
Argument validation → Checking tool call arguments against schema and policy before they run.
Scoped token → Per-person credentials that grant a defined subset of servers and tools.
Rate Limiting MCP Tool Calls: A Practical Guide →
MCP Security: Why Prompt Guardrails Aren't Enough →

FAQ

Questions about candidate_add_tag

What does the candidate_add_tag tool do? +

Add a tag to a candidate. This is a WRITE operation. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Ashby MCP Server MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on candidate_add_tag? +

Register the Ashby MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for candidate_add_tag: 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 Ashby MCP Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is candidate_add_tag? +

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

Can I rate-limit candidate_add_tag? +

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

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

candidate_add_tag is provided by the Ashby MCP Server MCP server (plenishai/mcp-ashby). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Ashby MCP Server tool call.

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

CHECK YOUR STACK →