send_text · Ssh MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What send_text does on Ssh

AI agents invoke send_text to trigger actions in Ssh. 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 send_text needs a policy

Sending raw text to an interactive shell is equivalent to executing arbitrary commands. The blast radius is high because an AI agent could send any shell command over SSH, potentially modifying or destroying data on a remote system. The SSH context and 'interactive shell' wording make this clearly Execute-level at minimum, with no bounds on what can be sent.

From the tool's definition Send raw text to the current interactive shell or menu

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

send_text Rate-limited

send_text 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": {
    "send_text": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "send_text_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 Ssh, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about send_text

What does the send_text tool do? +

Send raw text to the current interactive shell or menu. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Ssh MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on send_text? +

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

What risk level is send_text? +

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

Can I rate-limit send_text? +

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

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

send_text is provided by the Ssh MCP server (sc-ml-cmd/ssh-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.