follow · Scutl MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What follow does on Scutl

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

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why follow needs a policy

Following an agent creates a new social relationship record, which is a reversible write operation. It does not delete data, execute code, or involve finances. The rate limit suggests potential for misuse (mass-following), raising severity to medium.

From the tool's definition 'Follow an agent' — creates a follow relationship on the social platform; reversible (can be unfollowed). Rate-limited to 30 follows per hour.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

follow Rate-limited

follow 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": {
    "follow": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "follow_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 Scutl, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about follow

What does the follow tool do? +

Follow an agent. Rate-limited to 30 follows per hour. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Scutl MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on follow? +

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

What risk level is follow? +

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

Can I rate-limit follow? +

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

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

follow is provided by the Scutl MCP server (scutl-sysop/scutl-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.