move_entities · Elastic Brain ZH MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What move_entities does on Elastic Brain ZH

AI agents use move_entities to create or update resources in Elastic Brain ZH — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Elastic Brain ZH environment.

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why move_entities needs a policy

The operation is a compound write action: it copies entities (reversible write) and deletes from the source (destructive component). However, since the entities still exist in the destination zone, the data is not irreversibly lost—it is moved, not purged. This makes it Write rather than Destructive.

From the tool's definition Tool description states 'Move entities between zones (copy + delete from source)' — performs copy and delete operations sequentially on entity data across memory zones.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

move_entities Rate-limited

move_entities 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": {
    "move_entities": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "move_entities_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 Elastic Brain ZH, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about move_entities

What does the move_entities tool do? +

Move entities between zones (copy + delete from source). It is categorised as a Write tool in the Elastic Brain ZH MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on move_entities? +

Register the Elastic Brain ZH MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for move_entities: 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 Elastic Brain ZH. Nothing to install.

What risk level is move_entities? +

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

Can I rate-limit move_entities? +

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

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

move_entities is provided by the Elastic Brain ZH MCP server (tocharianou/elastic-brain-zh). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.