AI agents invoke port_scan to trigger actions in Red-team-mcp. 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.
Port scanning actively sends network packets to external hosts to probe for open ports and services. This constitutes an external operation with real-world effects (network traffic to potentially unauthorized targets). The server context explicitly lists port scanning as a core capability for red-teaming/offensive security purposes, making misuse high-severity.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'port_scan' on a red-team MCP server described as enabling 'port scanning, vulnerability scanning, SSH operations, and Metasploit exploitation through a unified interface'
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access port_scan gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Red-team-mcp, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for port_scan:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"port_scan": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "port_scan_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 10,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}port_scan 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.
Free to start. No card required.
port_scan. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Red-team-mcp MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
Register the Red-team- MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for port_scan: 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 Red-team-mcp. Nothing to install.
port_scan is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the port_scan 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 port_scan. 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.
port_scan is provided by the Red-team- MCP server (skjortan23/read-team-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Red-team-mcp, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
Free to start. No card required.
13 Red-team-mcp tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.