show_commands · Nornir MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What show_commands does on Nornir

AI agents invoke show_commands to trigger actions in Nornir. 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.

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why show_commands needs a policy

In network automation contexts (NAPALM/Netmiko), 'show_commands' typically executes CLI show commands on live network devices. While 'show' commands are generally read-only, executing arbitrary commands on network infrastructure carries high risk — a misused or poorly scoped invocation could trigger disruptive operations.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'show_commands' on a server that integrates Nornir with NAPALM and Netmiko for network orchestration; sibling tools include 'apply_config', 'backup_configs', 'fetch_data', 'list_devices'

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

show_commands Rate-limited

show_commands 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.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "show_commands": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "show_commands_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

RATE-LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Instant setup, no code required.

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: every tool call is checked against your rule before it reaches Nornir, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about show_commands

What does the show_commands tool do? +

show_commands. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Nornir MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on show_commands? +

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

What risk level is show_commands? +

show_commands is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.

Can I rate-limit show_commands? +

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

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

show_commands is provided by the Nornir MCP server (sydasif/nornir-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.