create_work_item · Ado MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What create_work_item does on Ado

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

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why create_work_item needs a policy

Creating a work item is a reversible write operation—it adds data to the system but can be deleted or modified later. It does not execute code, delete data irreversibly, or move money. The empty description reduces confidence slightly, but the tool name is unambiguous.

From the tool's definition Tool name is 'create_work_item' with no description provided. The name indicates creation of a work item (e.g., task, bug, user story) in Azure DevOps, which is a reversible write operation.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

create_work_item Rate-limited

create_work_item 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": {
    "create_work_item": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "create_work_item_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 Ado, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about create_work_item

What does the create_work_item tool do? +

create_work_item. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Ado MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on create_work_item? +

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

What risk level is create_work_item? +

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

Can I rate-limit create_work_item? +

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

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

create_work_item is provided by the Ado MCP server (raboley/ado-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.