Focus on projects/folders, or clear focus. Does not support tasks or tags.
AI agents use set_focus to create or update resources in OmniFocus MCP Server — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your OmniFocus MCP Server environment.
This tool changes OmniFocus UI state by setting focus on specific projects or folders, or clearing that focus. These are reversible modifications that do not delete data (which would be Destructive) or execute arbitrary code (which would be Execute). The blast radius is minimal since focus state changes can be easily undone by setting a different focus or clearing it.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'set_focus' and description indicating it focuses on projects/folders or clears focus. The sibling tools include create_* and delete_* operations, establishing this server's pattern of write/destructive actions.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access set_focus gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and OmniFocus MCP Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for set_focus:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"set_focus": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "set_focus_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 30,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}set_focus 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.
Free to start. No card required.
Focus on projects/folders, or clear focus. Does not support tasks or tags. It is categorised as a Write tool in the OmniFocus MCP Server MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Register the OmniFocus MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for set_focus: 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 OmniFocus MCP Server. Nothing to install.
set_focus is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the set_focus 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.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for set_focus. 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.
set_focus is provided by the OmniFocus MCP Server MCP server (s-morgan-jeffries/omnifocus-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from OmniFocus MCP Server, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
Free to start. No card required.
21 OmniFocus MCP Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.