AI agents invoke go_back to trigger actions in Steel MCP Server. 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.
This tool triggers a browser navigation action (history traversal), which is an external operation that changes the browser state. It falls under Execute as it performs a browser action rather than simply reading data or writing/deleting content.
From the tool's definition Go back to the previous page in the browser history
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access go_back gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Steel MCP Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for go_back:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"go_back": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "go_back_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 10,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}go_back 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.
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Go back to the previous page in the browser history. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Steel MCP Server MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
Register the Steel MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for go_back: 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 Steel MCP Server. Nothing to install.
go_back 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 go_back 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 go_back. 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.
go_back is provided by the Steel MCP Server MCP server (steel-dev/steel-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 9 Steel MCP Server tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
Free to start. No card required.
9 Steel MCP Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.