open_shortcut · Siri Shortcuts MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What open_shortcut does on Siri Shortcuts

AI agents invoke open_shortcut to trigger actions in Siri Shortcuts. 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.

PARAMETERS

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`name`	string	Yes	The name of the shortcut to open

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why open_shortcut needs a policy

Opening a shortcut in the Shortcuts app is an external operation that triggers the macOS/iOS Shortcuts application. While it doesn't run the shortcut itself (that would be run_shortcut), it does trigger an external application action with side effects (switching focus, launching the app).

From the tool's definition "Open a shortcut in the Shortcuts app" — triggers an external application action (opening the Shortcuts app and navigating to a specific shortcut)

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

open_shortcut Rate-limited

open_shortcut 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": {
    "open_shortcut": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "open_shortcut_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 Siri Shortcuts, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about open_shortcut

What does the open_shortcut tool do? +

Open a shortcut in the Shortcuts app. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Siri Shortcuts MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

What parameters does open_shortcut accept? +

open_shortcut accepts 1 parameter: name. Required: name. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.

How do I enforce a policy on open_shortcut? +

Register the Siri Shortcuts MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for open_shortcut: 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 Siri Shortcuts. Nothing to install.

What risk level is open_shortcut? +

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

Can I rate-limit open_shortcut? +

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

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

open_shortcut is provided by the Siri Shortcuts MCP server (mcp-server-siri-shortcuts). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.