gmail_send · Google Workspace MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What gmail_send does on Google Workspace

AI agents invoke gmail_send to trigger actions in Google Workspace. 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 gmail_send needs a policy

Sending an email is an external operation with real-world consequences that cannot be undone — the recipient receives the message permanently. This is an irreversible external action triggered on behalf of the user, placing it in Execute (triggering external operations).

From the tool's definition "Send an email immediately from the given account"

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

gmail_send Rate-limited

gmail_send 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": {
    "gmail_send": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "gmail_send_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 Google Workspace, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about gmail_send

What does the gmail_send tool do? +

Send an email immediately from the given account. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Google Workspace MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on gmail_send? +

Register the Google Workspace MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for gmail_send: 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 Google Workspace. Nothing to install.

What risk level is gmail_send? +

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

Can I rate-limit gmail_send? +

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

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

gmail_send is provided by the Google Workspace MCP server (rajool/google-workspace-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.