create_story · ServiceNow- MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What create_story does on ServiceNow-MCP

AI agents use create_story 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_story needs a policy

Creating a new agile story is a reversible write operation that adds data to ServiceNow's project management system. It does not execute arbitrary code, delete data, move money, or have destructive effects. While it modifies system state, the change can be undone by deleting the story.

From the tool's definition Tool name is 'create_story' and description states 'Create a new agile story/user story'. This operation creates new data in the ServiceNow system. The requirement for WRITE_ENABLED=true confirms it performs write operations.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

create_story Rate-limited

create_story 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_story": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "create_story_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_story

What does the create_story tool do? +

Create a new agile story/user story (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_story? +

Register the ServiceNow- MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for create_story: 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_story? +

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

Can I rate-limit create_story? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the create_story 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_story completely? +

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

create_story 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.