patch_fee · Smokeball MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What patch_fee does on Smokeball

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

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why patch_fee needs a policy

This tool modifies financial records (fee entry states) within a law firm practice management system, but does not move money or create new financial obligations—it toggles existing fee attributes between billable/billed states. This is Write (reversible modification) rather than Financial (which involves actual money movement) or Destructive (which cannot be undone).

From the tool's definition Tool name 'patch_fee' and description 'Toggle a fee entry's billable or billed state (PATCH)' indicates modification of billing/fee data. The PATCH HTTP method confirms it modifies existing data.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

patch_fee Rate-limited

patch_fee 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": {
    "patch_fee": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "patch_fee_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 Smokeball, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about patch_fee

What does the patch_fee tool do? +

Toggle a fee entry's billable or billed state (PATCH). Use 'true' or 'false'. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Smokeball MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on patch_fee? +

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

What risk level is patch_fee? +

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

Can I rate-limit patch_fee? +

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

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

patch_fee is provided by the Smokeball MCP server (rosenadvertising/smokeball-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.