ssh_fanout · Mcpx MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What ssh_fanout does on Mcpx

AI agents invoke ssh_fanout to trigger actions in Mcpx. 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 ssh_fanout needs a policy

SSH fanout typically executes commands across multiple remote hosts simultaneously. Given the server's explicit purpose of 'shell and SSH mastery' and 'command execution', this tool almost certainly executes shell commands on multiple remote systems at once. The blast radius is critical because a single misuse could affect many remote machines concurrently.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'ssh_fanout' on a server described as enabling 'command execution, interactive sessions, file transfer, and port forwarding with auditing and policy controls'; sibling tools include shell_exec, shell_script, shell_spawn indicating command execution…

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

ssh_fanout Rate-limited

ssh_fanout 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": {
    "ssh_fanout": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "ssh_fanout_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 Mcpx, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about ssh_fanout

What does the ssh_fanout tool do? +

ssh_fanout. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Mcpx MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on ssh_fanout? +

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

What risk level is ssh_fanout? +

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

Can I rate-limit ssh_fanout? +

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

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

ssh_fanout is provided by the Mcpx MCP server (rmednitzer/relay-shell). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.