add_competitor · SurfRank MCP Server MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What add_competitor does on SurfRank MCP Server

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

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why add_competitor needs a policy

This tool creates a new data record (competitor entry) within a project, which is a reversible write operation. It does not delete data (Destructive), execute code (Execute), involve financial transactions (Financial), or retrieve existing data (Read). The blast radius is minimal—incorrectly adding a competitor domain affects only the project's tracking configuration and can be easily undone via deletion.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'add_competitor' and description 'Add a competitor domain to a project for side-by-side visibility tracking' indicate creation/modification of project data by adding a new competitor entry.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

add_competitor Rate-limited

add_competitor 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": {
    "add_competitor": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "add_competitor_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 SurfRank MCP Server, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about add_competitor

What does the add_competitor tool do? +

Add a competitor domain to a project for side-by-side visibility tracking. It is categorised as a Write tool in the SurfRank MCP Server MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on add_competitor? +

Register the SurfRank MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for add_competitor: 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 SurfRank MCP Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is add_competitor? +

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

Can I rate-limit add_competitor? +

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

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

add_competitor is provided by the SurfRank MCP Server MCP server (surfrankai/mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.