pve_suspend_vm · Proxmox MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What pve_suspend_vm does on Proxmox

AI agents invoke pve_suspend_vm to trigger actions in Proxmox. 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.

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why pve_suspend_vm needs a policy

Suspending a VM/container is an operational state change that halts execution of running workloads. It is not purely destructive (data is not deleted) but it triggers an external operation with significant impact — suspended VMs stop serving traffic/processes. This falls under Execute as it triggers an external lifecycle operation on infrastructure.

From the tool's definition Suspend a VM/container. Requires confirm=true.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

pve_suspend_vm Rate-limited

pve_suspend_vm 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.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "pve_suspend_vm": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "pve_suspend_vm_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

RATE-LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Instant setup, no code required.

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: every tool call is checked against your rule before it reaches Proxmox, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about pve_suspend_vm

What does the pve_suspend_vm tool do? +

Suspend a VM/container. Requires confirm=true. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Proxmox MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on pve_suspend_vm? +

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

What risk level is pve_suspend_vm? +

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

Can I rate-limit pve_suspend_vm? +

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

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

pve_suspend_vm is provided by the Proxmox MCP server (plgonzalezrx8/proxmox-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.