email_move · M365 MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What email_move does on M365

AI agents use email_move to create or update resources in M365 — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your M365 environment.

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why email_move needs a policy

Email movement is a write operation that modifies mailbox organization and folder structure, but is reversible (emails are not deleted or permanently lost). Severity is medium because misconfiguration could move sensitive emails to unintended folders, expose private communications, or disrupt user workflows, but the action is not destructive or financial.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'email_move' indicates moving emails between folders/locations; server context shows it manages Outlook email service; moving emails modifies mailbox state reversibly (emails can be moved back).

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

email_move Rate-limited

email_move stays usable, but capped — an agent stuck in a loop can't make hundreds of changes a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "email_move": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "email_move_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 30,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Instant setup, no code required.

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: every tool call is checked against your rule before it reaches M365, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about email_move

What does the email_move tool do? +

email_move. It is categorised as a Write tool in the M365 MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on email_move? +

Register the M365 MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for email_move: 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 M365. Nothing to install.

What risk level is email_move? +

email_move is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.

Can I rate-limit email_move? +

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

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

email_move is provided by the M365 MCP server (robin-collins/m365-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.