Create a node with rich formatted content including inline references and text styling. Use this when you need to link to other nodes or apply formatting.
AI agents use create_formatted_node to create or update resources in Tana MCP Server — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Tana MCP Server environment.
This tool creates new data in Tana workspaces and allows formatting and linking nodes. This is clearly a Write operation—it adds and modifies data reversibly without deleting, executing arbitrary code, or affecting financial systems. The medium severity reflects that malicious use could create spam content, inject misleading information, or pollute a user's workspace, but the effects are recoverable through deletion.
From the tool's definition The tool is named 'create_formatted_node' and described as creating 'a node with rich formatted content including inline references and text styling.' This involves creating new data structures (nodes) in Tana workspaces, which is a reversible write operation.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access create_formatted_node gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Tana MCP Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for create_formatted_node:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"create_formatted_node": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "create_formatted_node_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 30,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}create_formatted_node 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.
Free to start. No card required.
Create a node with rich formatted content including inline references and text styling. Use this when you need to link to other nodes or apply formatting. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Tana MCP Server MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Register the Tana MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for create_formatted_node: 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 Tana MCP Server. Nothing to install.
create_formatted_node is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the create_formatted_node 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.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for create_formatted_node. 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.
create_formatted_node is provided by the Tana MCP Server MCP server (tim-mcdonnell/tana-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 12 Tana MCP Server tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
Free to start. No card required.
12 Tana MCP Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.