merge_cells

Merge a rectangular range of cells. Horizontal: gridSpan. Vertical: vMerge.

SERVERDocx SOURCEsecurityronin/docx-mcp

Medium RISK CLASS

Category Write

Parameters 00 required

Recommended Rate-limitedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity unverified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/securityronin-docx-mcp/merge-cells.md

WHAT IT DOES

What merge_cells does on Docx

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

RISK

Why merge_cells is rated Medium

The tool modifies table structure by merging cells, which changes the document layout and cell properties. This is a Write operation because it alters document content reversibly (merges can be undone). It does not delete data irreversibly (not Destructive), does not execute arbitrary code (not Execute), does not read-only (not Read), and does not involve financial operations (not Financial).

From the tool's definition Merge a rectangular range of cells. Horizontal: gridSpan. Vertical: vMerge. This modifies the table structure in the document by combining cells, which is a reversible data modification operation.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs merge_cells safely

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Docx, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For merge_cells, this is the rule to start with:

merge_cells Rate-limited

merge_cells 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": {
    "merge_cells": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "merge_cells_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 30,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

LIMIT THIS TOOL → Instant setup, no code required.

The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Docx, apply this rule, and every merge_cells call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about merge_cells

What does the merge_cells tool do? +

Merge a rectangular range of cells. Horizontal: gridSpan. Vertical: vMerge. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Docx MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on merge_cells? +

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

What risk level is merge_cells? +

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

Can I rate-limit merge_cells? +

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

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

merge_cells is provided by the Docx MCP server (securityronin/docx-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

KEEP EXPLORING

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