retire_asset · ServiceNow- MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What retire_asset does on ServiceNow-MCP

AI agents use retire_asset 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 retire_asset needs a policy

Retiring an asset changes its status field reversibly (an asset can be un-retired or its status corrected if needed), making this a Write operation rather than Destructive. The severity is medium because misuse could incorrectly retire critical assets, disrupting asset management and compliance tracking, but the action is not financial and can be remediated.

From the tool's definition Tool description states 'Retire an IT asset (mark as disposed/retired)' — this marks an asset record with a retired/disposed status, modifying its state in ServiceNow without deleting the underlying record.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

retire_asset Rate-limited

retire_asset 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": {
    "retire_asset": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "retire_asset_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 retire_asset

What does the retire_asset tool do? +

Retire an IT asset (mark as disposed/retired). [Write]. 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 retire_asset? +

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

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

Can I rate-limit retire_asset? +

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

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

retire_asset 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.