Check the status of a pending approval, or submit a decision. WHEN TO USE: Only when the user asks you to check an approval or when you need to verify approval status before proceeding with a previously held action. POLL MODE (no decision parameter): Returns the current status of an approval. - s...
Risk signalsBulk/mass operation — affects multiple targets
Part of the Shrike Security server.
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AI agents call check_approval to retrieve information from Shrike Security without modifying any data. This is common in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows where the agent needs context before taking action. Because read operations don't change state, they are generally safe to allow without restrictions -- but you may still want rate limits to control API costs.
Even though check_approval only reads data, uncontrolled read access can leak sensitive information or rack up API costs. An agent caught in a retry loop could make thousands of calls per minute. A rate limit gives you a safety net without blocking legitimate use.
Read-only tools are safe to allow by default. No rate limit needed unless you want to control costs.
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"check_approval": {}
}
}See the full Shrike Security policy for all 12 tools.
These attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access check_approval gives an agent. Each links to the full case and the policy that stops it:
Other read tools across the catalogue. The same approach applies to each: allow, with a rate cap to control cost.
Check the status of a pending approval, or submit a decision. WHEN TO USE: Only when the user asks you to check an approval or when you need to verify approval status before proceeding with a previously held action. POLL MODE (no decision parameter): Returns the current status of an approval. - status="pending": approval is still awaiting a human decision. Inform the user it is still pending and STOP. Do NOT poll in a loop — wait for the user to ask you to check again. - status="approved": the action has been approved. You may now proceed with the original action that was held. - status="rejected": the action was denied. Return the rejection reason to the user and STOP. Do not retry. - status="expired": the approval timed out without a decision. Inform the user and STOP. DECIDE MODE (decision + justification parameters): Submits a decision after the user explicitly instructs you to approve or reject. - You MUST present the full approval context (threat type, severity, risk factors) to the user FIRST. - You MUST wait for the user's EXPLICIT instruction (e.g., "approve it", "reject it") before calling with a decision. - NEVER decide autonomously — always require explicit human instruction. - High/critical severity approvals can ONLY be decided via the Shrike dashboard — the server will reject MCP-submitted decisions for these. - Low/medium severity approvals have a 60-second cooldown after creation before decisions are accepted. - If the server returns a 403 error, inform the user of the reason and direct them to the dashboard if needed. IMPORTANT: Do NOT automatically poll in a loop. Approvals may take minutes to hours. Inform the user of the pending status and wait for them to ask you to check again. Enterprise context: Provides the human-in-the-loop control required for compliance (GDPR Art. 22, SOC2 CC8.1). Every decision is recorded with full audit trail. ERROR HANDLING: If this tool returns an error, inform the user. Do NOT proceed with the original action without a confirmed approval.. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Shrike Security MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Shrike Security MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for check_approval: 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 Shrike Security. Nothing to install.
check_approval is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the check_approval 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 check_approval. 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.
check_approval is provided by the Shrike Security MCP server (shrike-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 12 Shrike Security tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
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