AI agents invoke port_scan to trigger actions in MCP Recon. 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 executes nmap, an external network scanning program, against target hosts. It triggers active network probes that interact with third-party systems, making it Execute category. The blast radius is high because an AI agent could scan unauthorized targets, violate terms of service, trigger security alerts, or be used for malicious reconnaissance against arbitrary hosts.
From the tool's definition 'Advanced port scan using nmap' - actively runs nmap network scanning tool against target systems
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 MCP Recon, 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.
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Advanced port scan using nmap. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the MCP Recon MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
Register the MCP Recon 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 MCP Recon. 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 MCP Recon MCP server (sundayz-hunter/mcp_recon). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from MCP Recon, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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13 MCP Recon tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.