Register an application in the app-portal database so it appears in the portal UI. This only creates the portal DB record — use zitadel_create_oidc_app separately if you also need the Zitadel OIDC app.
AI agents use portal_register_app to create or update resources in Zitadel MCP — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Zitadel MCP environment.
This tool creates a new database record in the portal database, which is a write operation. While it modifies system state, it is reversible (records can be deleted or updated) and does not trigger external code execution, delete data irreversibly, move funds, or execute arbitrary commands.
From the tool's definition Tool description states it 'creates the portal DB record' — a reversible data creation operation that modifies the app-portal database.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access portal_register_app gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Zitadel MCP, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for portal_register_app:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"portal_register_app": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "portal_register_app_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 30,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
} portal_register_app 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.
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Register an application in the app-portal database so it appears in the portal UI. This only creates the portal DB record — use zitadel_create_oidc_app separately if you also need the Zitadel OIDC app. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Zitadel MCP MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Register the Zitadel MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for portal_register_app: 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 Zitadel MCP. Nothing to install.
portal_register_app 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 portal_register_app 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 portal_register_app. 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.
portal_register_app is provided by the Zitadel MCP server (takleb3rry/zitadel-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Zitadel MCP, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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26 Zitadel MCP tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.