email_respond · Email SMTP/IMAP MCP Server MCP

WHAT IT DOES

What email_respond does on Email SMTP/IMAP MCP Server

AI agents use email_respond to create or update resources in Email SMTP/IMAP MCP Server — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Email SMTP/IMAP MCP Server environment.

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why email_respond needs a policy

This tool sends emails (replies or forwards), which creates new outgoing messages. It has real-world side effects (sends communication to external parties) but is not inherently destructive or financial. Severity is high because a misused agent could send unauthorized replies or forward sensitive information to unintended recipients at scale.

From the tool's definition Reply to or forward an existing email...respond to messages, or forward information to others

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

email_respond Rate-limited

email_respond 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": {
    "email_respond": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "email_respond_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 Email SMTP/IMAP MCP Server, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about email_respond

What does the email_respond tool do? +

Reply to or forward an existing email. Use this to continue email conversations, respond to messages, or forward information to others. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Email SMTP/IMAP MCP Server MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on email_respond? +

Register the Email SMTP/IMAP MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for email_respond: 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 Email SMTP/IMAP MCP Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is email_respond? +

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

Can I rate-limit email_respond? +

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

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

email_respond is provided by the Email SMTP/IMAP MCP Server MCP server (samihalawa/email-smtp-imap-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.