complete_todo · MCP Todo List Manager MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What complete_todo does on MCP Todo List Manager

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

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why complete_todo needs a policy

This tool performs a reversible modification to data. While completing a todo changes its status, this action can be undone by reopening the todo or via other tools. This makes it Write rather than Destructive.

From the tool's definition Tool marks a todo as completed by ID, which modifies the state of a todo item in the persistent YAML-based storage. The description indicates this is a state change operation ('Mark a todo as completed') rather than retrieval.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

complete_todo Rate-limited

complete_todo 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": {
    "complete_todo": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "complete_todo_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 MCP Todo List Manager, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about complete_todo

What does the complete_todo tool do? +

Mark a todo as completed by ID. It is categorised as a Write tool in the MCP Todo List Manager MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on complete_todo? +

Register the MCP Todo List Manager MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for complete_todo: 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 MCP Todo List Manager. Nothing to install.

What risk level is complete_todo? +

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

Can I rate-limit complete_todo? +

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

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

complete_todo is provided by the MCP Todo List Manager MCP server (sk0t31n0s/mcptodo). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.