dns_enum · Kali MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What dns_enum does on Kali

AI agents invoke dns_enum to trigger actions in Kali. 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 dns_enum needs a policy

DNS enumeration actively queries external DNS infrastructure to discover subdomains and records. This is an active reconnaissance operation that sends network requests to third-party systems, placing it in the Execute category. On a Kali Linux penetration testing server alongside tools like Hydra and SQLMap, this tool is part of an offensive security toolkit.

From the tool's definition Perform DNS enumeration to find subdomains and DNS records

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

dns_enum Rate-limited

dns_enum 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": {
    "dns_enum": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "dns_enum_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 Kali, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about dns_enum

What does the dns_enum tool do? +

Perform DNS enumeration to find subdomains and DNS records. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Kali MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on dns_enum? +

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

What risk level is dns_enum? +

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

Can I rate-limit dns_enum? +

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

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

dns_enum is provided by the Kali MCP server (rangta10/kali-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.