update_contact · Smokeball MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What update_contact does on Smokeball

AI agents use update_contact 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 update_contact needs a policy

Updating contact details is a write operation that modifies data but does not irreversibly destroy it or execute arbitrary code. The scope is limited to contact attributes within a law firm practice management system. Severity is medium because corrupted contact data could disrupt firm operations, but the change is reversible.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'update_contact' and description 'Update a contact's details' indicate modification of existing data. The sibling tools (add_contact_tags, add_contact_to_layout, etc.) confirm this server performs reversible data mutations.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

update_contact Rate-limited

update_contact 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": {
    "update_contact": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "update_contact_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 update_contact

What does the update_contact tool do? +

Update a contact's details. 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 update_contact? +

Register the Smokeball MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for update_contact: 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 update_contact? +

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

Can I rate-limit update_contact? +

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

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

update_contact 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.