remove_item

THE RISK

Critical Risk

Removing tasks or projects from OmniFocus is an irreversible action that permanently deletes user data. This cannot be undone through normal operations and represents data loss. While not as critical as financial transactions, the permanent nature of deletion and potential impact on user productivity warrants 'high' severity.

From the tool's definition Tool description states 'Remove a task or project from OmniFocus' which indicates irreversible deletion of data items. The presence of sibling tool 'batch_remove_items' further confirms deletion capability.

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access remove_item gives an agent:

HOW TO CONTROL REMOVE_ITEM

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and OmniFocus-MCP, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for remove_item:

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "hide": [
    "remove_item"
  ]
}

remove_item disappears from the agent's tool list entirely, and any attempt to call it is denied. The rest of the server keeps working.

Create a free account and register OmniFocus-MCP — nothing to install.
Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.

RESTRICT THIS TOOL →

Free to start. No card required.

EXPLORE

More OmniFocus-MCP tools

Destructive batch_remove_items Remove multiple tasks or projects from OmniFocus in a single operation Write add_omnifocus_task Create a NEW task in OmniFocus. Use this ONLY when the task does not already exist. If a m Write add_project Add a new project to OmniFocus Write batch_add_items Add multiple tasks or projects to OmniFocus in a single operation Write create_tag Create a new tag in OmniFocus, optionally nested under an existing parent tag Write edit_item Edit an existing task or project in OmniFocus. This is also how you MOVE/reassign an exist Read dump_database Gets the current state of your OmniFocus database Read get_perspective_view Get the items visible in a specific OmniFocus perspective. Shows what tasks and projects a

All 12 OmniFocus-MCP tools →

Destructive tools on other servers

Frida Game Hacking MCP clear_scan MegaMemory remove_concept Frida Agent MCP kill_app 1MCP Server mcp_uninstall

Go deeper

Critical-risk tools in OmniFocus-MCP → Every critical-risk tool this server exposes, in one view.
All critical-risk MCP tools → Every critical-risk tool across the catalogue, and the policy pattern that contains them.
The MCP Attack Database → Documented attack patterns against MCP deployments — and the policies that stop them.
Rate Limiting MCP Tool Calls: A Practical Guide →
MCP Security: Why Prompt Guardrails Aren't Enough →

FAQ

What does the remove_item tool do? +

Remove a task or project from OmniFocus. It is categorised as a Destructive tool in the OmniFocus-MCP MCP Server, which means it can permanently delete or destroy data. Block by default and require explicit approval.

How do I enforce a policy on remove_item? +

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

What risk level is remove_item? +

remove_item is a Destructive tool with critical risk. Critical-risk tools should be blocked by default and only enabled with explicit human approval.

Can I rate-limit remove_item? +

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

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

remove_item is provided by the OmniFocus- MCP server (themotionmachine/omnifocus-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every OmniFocus-MCP tool call.

Deterministic rules across all 12 OmniFocus-MCP tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.

GOVERN OMNIFOCUS-MCP →

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12 OmniFocus-MCP tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.

// WHAT REMOVE_ITEM ON OMNIFOCUS-MCP DOES

// THE RISK

// HOW TO CONTROL REMOVE_ITEM

// EXPLORE