vacuum_control · Homeassistant MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What vacuum_control does on Homeassistant

AI agents invoke vacuum_control to trigger actions in Homeassistant. 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 vacuum_control needs a policy

The tool name implies control over a vacuum device (e.g., Roomba or similar smart vacuum). Controlling a vacuum can trigger physical actions like starting/stopping cleaning cycles, navigating to specific locations, or returning to dock. The description is empty, lowering confidence.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'vacuum_control' on a Home Assistant MCP server designed to 'control Home Assistant devices and services'

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

vacuum_control Rate-limited

vacuum_control 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": {
    "vacuum_control": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "vacuum_control_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 Homeassistant, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about vacuum_control

What does the vacuum_control tool do? +

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

How do I enforce a policy on vacuum_control? +

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

What risk level is vacuum_control? +

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

Can I rate-limit vacuum_control? +

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

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

vacuum_control is provided by the Homeassistant MCP server (robbrad/homeassistant-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.