# update_user

Update a user account (requires WRITE_ENABLED=true)

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `update_user`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/update-user

## Facts

- Tool: `update_user`
- Server: ServiceNow-MCP (`tedorigawa001/servicenow-mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/tedorigawa001/ServiceNow-MCP
- Risk category: Write (Medium risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 0
- Recommended policy verdict: Rate-limited

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "update_user",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why update_user is rated Medium

This tool creates or modifies user account data in ServiceNow. It is reversible (user attributes can be changed again) and has no permanent deletion or financial implications. The blast radius is medium because modifying user accounts could affect system access, permissions, or authentication, but the impact is bounded to a single user record unless an agent systematically modifies many accounts.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool name is 'update_user' and description states 'Update a user account'. The description explicitly notes a requirement flag 'WRITE_ENABLED=true', confirming this modifies data."

## Use case

AI agents use update_user 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.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Rate-limited**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches ServiceNow-MCP:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "update_user": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "update_user_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 30,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

## Other tools on ServiceNow-MCP (494)

- `cancel_request` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/cancel-request.md
- `delete_attachment` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/delete-attachment.md
- `delete_system_property` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/delete-system-property.md
- `delete_uib_page` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/delete-uib-page.md
- `remove_user_from_group` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/remove-user-from-group.md
- `restore_archived_record` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/restore-archived-record.md
- `rollback_deployment` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/rollback-deployment.md
- `set_cleanup_rule_active` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/set-cleanup-rule-active.md
- `set_destroy_rule_active` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/set-destroy-rule-active.md
- `commit_changeset` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/commit-changeset.md
- `create_business_rule` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/create-business-rule.md
- `create_client_script` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/create-client-script.md
- `create_flow_action` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/create-flow-action.md
- `create_scheduled_job` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/create-scheduled-job.md
- `create_script_include` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/create-script-include.md
- `execute_background_script` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/execute-background-script.md
- `fire_event` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/fire-event.md
- `ml_detect_anomalies` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/ml-detect-anomalies.md
- `ml_train_anomaly_detector` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/ml-train-anomaly-detector.md
- `ml_train_change_risk` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/ml-train-change-risk.md
- `ml_train_incident_classifier` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/ml-train-incident-classifier.md
- `publish_changeset` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/publish-changeset.md
- `run_aggregate_query` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/run-aggregate-query.md
- `run_atf_suite` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/run-atf-suite.md
- `run_atf_test` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/run-atf-test.md
- `run_discovery_scan` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/run-discovery-scan.md
- `run_security_playbook` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/run-security-playbook.md
- `run_transform_map` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/run-transform-map.md
- `scan_vulnerabilities` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/scan-vulnerabilities.md
- `smart_query` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp/smart-query.md
- …and 464 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

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Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/tedorigawa001-servicenow-mcp