aos_s_ping · API-Central MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What aos_s_ping does on API-Central

AI agents invoke aos_s_ping to trigger actions in API-Central. 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 aos_s_ping needs a policy

This tool executes a network diagnostic command (ping) on a live network device. It triggers an external operation on the switch hardware, making it Execute category. Severity is medium because while ping is generally benign, it runs commands on production network infrastructure and could be misused to probe or stress network paths.

From the tool's definition Ping a destination from an AOS-S switch (async, polls ~60s)

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

aos_s_ping Rate-limited

aos_s_ping 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": {
    "aos_s_ping": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "aos_s_ping_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 API-Central, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about aos_s_ping

What does the aos_s_ping tool do? +

Ping a destination from an AOS-S switch (async, polls ~60s). It is categorised as a Execute tool in the API-Central MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on aos_s_ping? +

Register the API-Central MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for aos_s_ping: 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 API-Central. Nothing to install.

What risk level is aos_s_ping? +

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

Can I rate-limit aos_s_ping? +

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

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

aos_s_ping is provided by the API-Central MCP server (secure-ssid/centralmcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.