Promotes a task from BACKLOG.md to an active YAML task file in todos/. Use this when starting work on a backlog item. Creates a full task file with YAML frontmatter, dependencies, and metadata.
AI agents use promote_task to create or update resources in Project MCP — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Project MCP environment.
promote_task creates new task files and modifies project state by elevating backlog items to active todos. This is a Write operation because it creates structured data records with side effects (state transitions in project management) but remains reversible—the task can be archived or moved back.
From the tool's definition Tool description states it 'Promotes a task from BACKLOG.md to an active YAML task file in todos/' and 'Creates a full task file with YAML frontmatter, dependencies, and metadata.' This is a reversible creation/modification operation that moves and transforms…
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access promote_task gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Project MCP, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for promote_task:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"promote_task": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "promote_task_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 30,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}promote_task 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.
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Promotes a task from BACKLOG.md to an active YAML task file in todos/. Use this when starting work on a backlog item. Creates a full task file with YAML frontmatter, dependencies, and metadata. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Project MCP MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Register the Project MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for promote_task: 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 Project MCP. Nothing to install.
promote_task is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the promote_task 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 promote_task. 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.
promote_task is provided by the Project MCP server (pouyanafisi/project-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Project MCP, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
Free to start. No card required.
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