update_relationship · Smokeball MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What update_relationship does on Smokeball

AI agents use update_relationship 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_relationship needs a policy

This tool modifies contact relationships within matters, which is a write operation that changes data state but can be reversed (relationships can be re-updated or removed). It does not delete data (Destructive), execute code (Execute), involve money movements (Financial), or retrieve information only (Read).

From the tool's definition Tool name 'update_relationship' and description 'Update a contact relationship on a matter role' indicate modification of existing data.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

update_relationship Rate-limited

update_relationship 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_relationship": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "update_relationship_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_relationship

What does the update_relationship tool do? +

Update a contact relationship on a matter role. 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_relationship? +

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

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

Can I rate-limit update_relationship? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the update_relationship 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_relationship completely? +

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

update_relationship 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.