ax_action · MacWright MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What ax_action does on MacWright

AI agents invoke ax_action to trigger actions in MacWright. 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 ax_action needs a policy

This tool triggers arbitrary accessibility actions on native macOS UI elements, which can cause a wide range of side effects depending on the element targeted — including opening applications, submitting forms, activating controls, or triggering destructive operations. The effects are execution-dependent on arguments, making Execute the appropriate category.

From the tool's definition Perform an Accessibility action on a native macOS UI element

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

ax_action Rate-limited

ax_action 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": {
    "ax_action": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "ax_action_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 MacWright, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about ax_action

What does the ax_action tool do? +

Perform an Accessibility action on a native macOS UI element found by text. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the MacWright MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on ax_action? +

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

What risk level is ax_action? +

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

Can I rate-limit ax_action? +

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

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

ax_action is provided by the MacWright MCP server (ruchit-p/macwright). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.