AI agents call close-terminal to permanently remove resources in iTerm MCP Server — typically in cleanup and lifecycle workflows. It does its job in a single call, and there is no undo.
Closing a terminal terminates all running processes within it and destroys the session state. This action cannot be undone (the session and its history/processes are gone), placing it in the Destructive category. Severity is high because an AI agent misusing this tool could terminate critical running processes, lose unsaved work, or disrupt active workflows across terminal sessions.
From the tool's definition "Close a specific terminal" — closing a terminal session is irreversible; any unsaved work, running processes, or state in that terminal is permanently lost.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access close-terminal gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and iTerm MCP Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for close-terminal:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"hide": [
"close-terminal"
]
}close-terminal disappears from the agent's tool list entirely, and any attempt to call it is denied. The rest of the server keeps working.
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Close a specific terminal. It is categorised as a Destructive tool in the iTerm MCP Server MCP Server, which means it can permanently delete or destroy data. Block by default and require explicit approval.
Register the iTerm MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for close-terminal: 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 iTerm MCP Server. Nothing to install.
close-terminal is a Destructive tool with critical risk. Critical-risk tools should be blocked by default and only enabled with explicit human approval.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the close-terminal 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 close-terminal. 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.
close-terminal is provided by the iTerm MCP Server MCP server (rishabkoul/iterm-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from iTerm MCP Server, 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.
5 iTerm MCP Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.