add-task · Todoist MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What add-task does on Todoist MCP

AI agents use add-task to create or update resources in Todoist MCP — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Todoist MCP environment.

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why add-task needs a policy

The tool creates new task entries in a task management system. Task creation is a standard Write operation (creates data reversibly). Severity is low because creating a task in a personal/team task manager has minimal blast radius—tasks can be easily deleted, and the worst case is minor project clutter. The sibling tool 'delete-task' confirms reversibility, reinforcing Write rather than Destructive classification.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'add-task' and description 'Add a task to Todoist' indicate task creation. This is a reversible write operation—tasks can be deleted or modified later. No destructive, financial, or code execution aspects are present.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

add-task Rate-limited

add-task 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": {
    "add-task": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "add-task_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 Todoist MCP, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about add-task

What does the add-task tool do? +

Add a task to Todoist. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Todoist MCP MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

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

Register the Todoist MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for add-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 Todoist MCP. Nothing to install.

What risk level is add-task? +

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

Can I rate-limit add-task? +

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

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

add-task is provided by the Todoist MCP server (scofieldkoh/todoist_mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.