create_deck · Anki MCP Data Bridge MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What create_deck does on Anki MCP Data Bridge

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

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why create_deck needs a policy

Creating a new deck is a Write operation because it creates new data with no irreversible consequences or side effects. The blast radius is minimal — a mistakenly created deck can be easily removed. This does not qualify as Destructive (no deletion), Execute (no arbitrary code execution), Financial (no money movement), or Read (actively modifies state).

From the tool's definition Tool name and description: "Create a new deck or subdeck" — this operation creates a new data structure in Anki but does not modify or delete existing data, and the operation is reversible by deleting the deck.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

create_deck Rate-limited

create_deck 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": {
    "create_deck": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "create_deck_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 Anki MCP Data Bridge, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about create_deck

What does the create_deck tool do? +

Create a new deck or subdeck. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Anki MCP Data Bridge MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on create_deck? +

Register the Anki MCP Data Bridge MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for create_deck: 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 Anki MCP Data Bridge. Nothing to install.

What risk level is create_deck? +

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

Can I rate-limit create_deck? +

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

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

create_deck is provided by the Anki MCP Data Bridge MCP server (stefanspycher/anki-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.