telescope_disconnect · Ascom MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What telescope_disconnect does on Ascom

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

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why telescope_disconnect needs a policy

Disconnecting from a telescope modifies the connection state of the device. It is reversible (you can reconnect), so it falls under Write rather than Destructive. However, misuse during an active observation session could interrupt telescope operations, giving it medium severity.

From the tool's definition 'Disconnect from an ASCOM telescope' — terminates an active connection to a telescope device

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

telescope_disconnect Rate-limited

telescope_disconnect 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": {
    "telescope_disconnect": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "telescope_disconnect_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 Ascom, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about telescope_disconnect

What does the telescope_disconnect tool do? +

Disconnect from an ASCOM telescope. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Ascom MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on telescope_disconnect? +

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

What risk level is telescope_disconnect? +

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

Can I rate-limit telescope_disconnect? +

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

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

telescope_disconnect is provided by the Ascom MCP server (stellarpunk/mcp-server-ascom). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.