add_user_topic
Add a topic to track for new publications.
This record as markdown: /tools/sveritg-metis-ph/add-user-topic.md
What add_user_topic does on Metis Public Health
AI agents use add_user_topic to create or update resources in Metis Public Health, usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Metis Public Health environment.
Why add_user_topic is rated Medium
This tool creates or registers a new topic entry in the user's tracking system for monitoring publications. It modifies the user's stored preferences/topics reversibly—users can remove or change tracked topics. It has no destructive, financial, or execute characteristics. The blast radius is minimal: worst case, irrelevant publication alerts are generated.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'add_user_topic' and description 'Add a topic to track for new publications' indicate creation of new tracking data. The verb 'Add' and the action of creating a topic entry are characteristic of Write operations.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs add_user_topic safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Metis Public Health, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For add_user_topic, this is the rule to start with:
add_user_topic 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.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Metis Public Health, apply this rule, and every add_user_topic call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about add_user_topic
Add a topic to track for new publications. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Metis Public Health MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Register the Metis Public Health MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for add_user_topic: 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 Metis Public Health. Nothing to install.
add_user_topic is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the add_user_topic 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 add_user_topic. 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.
add_user_topic is provided by the Metis Public Health MCP server (sveritg/metis_ph). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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