AI agents invoke nanokvm_power_cycle to trigger actions in NanoKVM MCP Server. 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.
A power cycle operation reboots/restarts remote hardware. While the description is empty (lowering confidence slightly), the server context explicitly mentions power control for servers and headless machines. Power cycling a server is a significant operational action — it interrupts all running workloads — but is generally recoverable, placing it in Execute rather than Destructive.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'nanokvm_power_cycle' on a server described as enabling 'power control' for 'BIOS-level management of servers and headless machines'
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access nanokvm_power_cycle gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and NanoKVM MCP Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for nanokvm_power_cycle:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"nanokvm_power_cycle": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "nanokvm_power_cycle_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 10,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}nanokvm_power_cycle 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.
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nanokvm_power_cycle. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the NanoKVM MCP Server MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
Register the NanoKVM MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for nanokvm_power_cycle: 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 NanoKVM MCP Server. Nothing to install.
nanokvm_power_cycle is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the nanokvm_power_cycle 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 nanokvm_power_cycle. 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.
nanokvm_power_cycle is provided by the NanoKVM MCP Server MCP server (scgreenhalgh/nanokvm-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from NanoKVM MCP Server, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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19 NanoKVM MCP Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.