vm_restart

Restart a running virtual machine by its ID.

SERVERTruenas SOURCEspranab/truenas-mcp

High RISK CLASS

Category Execute

Parameters 00 required

Recommended Rate-limitedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity unverified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/spranab-truenas-mcp/vm-restart.md

WHAT IT DOES

What vm_restart does on Truenas

AI agents invoke vm_restart to trigger actions in Truenas. 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.

RISK

Why vm_restart is rated High

Restarting a VM is an executable action that affects running infrastructure and services, potentially causing downtime and service disruption. While not destructive or financial, it modifies system state and has external operational consequences.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'vm_restart' and description 'Restart a running virtual machine by its ID' indicate this triggers an external operation (VM restart) whose effects depend on the provided VM ID argument.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs vm_restart safely

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

vm_restart Rate-limited

vm_restart 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": {
    "vm_restart": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "vm_restart_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

RATE-LIMIT THIS TOOL → Instant setup, no code required.

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

FAQ

Questions about vm_restart

What does the vm_restart tool do? +

Restart a running virtual machine by its ID. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Truenas MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on vm_restart? +

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

What risk level is vm_restart? +

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

Can I rate-limit vm_restart? +

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

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

vm_restart is provided by the Truenas MCP server (spranab/truenas-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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