create_report · ServiceNow- MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What create_report does on ServiceNow-MCP

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

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why create_report needs a policy

This tool creates new report objects in ServiceNow, which is a reversible data modification operation (reports can be deleted or edited). While it doesn't execute arbitrary code or delete data, creating reports could enable data exfiltration or persistence of malicious queries across the platform.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'create_report' and description explicitly states 'Create a new saved report on any table' — a data creation action. The requirement 'WRITE_ENABLED=true' confirms write-level permissions are needed.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

create_report Rate-limited

create_report 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": {
    "create_report": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "create_report_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 ServiceNow-MCP, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about create_report

What does the create_report tool do? +

Create a new saved report on any table (requires WRITE_ENABLED=true). It is categorised as a Write tool in the ServiceNow-MCP MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on create_report? +

Register the ServiceNow- MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for create_report: 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 ServiceNow-MCP. Nothing to install.

What risk level is create_report? +

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

Can I rate-limit create_report? +

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

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

create_report is provided by the ServiceNow- MCP server (tedorigawa001/servicenow-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.