hooks_pre-task · Ruflo MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What hooks_pre-task does on Ruflo

AI agents invoke hooks_pre-task to trigger actions in Ruflo. 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 hooks_pre-task needs a policy

This tool executes code at task initiation points and routes to agent models. While the description is truncated and incomplete ('Use when native Bash hooks (via Claude Code\'), the mention of Bash hooks and task execution clearly places this in the Execute category. The potential to run arbitrary shell commands through hook mechanisms and influence agent behavior gives it a high severity rating.

From the tool's definition The tool 'hooks_pre-task' records task start and involves 'intelligent model routing' and integration with 'native Bash hooks (via Claude Code'. The description indicates execution of task hooks and routing logic that can trigger agent actions.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

hooks_pre-task Rate-limited

hooks_pre-task 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": {
    "hooks_pre-task": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "hooks_pre-task_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 Ruflo, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about hooks_pre-task

What does the hooks_pre-task tool do? +

Record task start and get agent suggestions with intelligent model routing (ADR-026) Use when native Bash hooks (via Claude Code\. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Ruflo MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on hooks_pre-task? +

Register the Ruflo MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for hooks_pre-task: 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 Ruflo. Nothing to install.

What risk level is hooks_pre-task? +

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

Can I rate-limit hooks_pre-task? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the hooks_pre-task 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 hooks_pre-task completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for hooks_pre-task. 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 hooks_pre-task? +

hooks_pre-task is provided by the Ruflo MCP server (ruvnet/ruflo). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.