apply_retention_cleanup
Apply local retention cleanup after a dry run. Requires confirm=
This record as markdown: /tools/todos/apply-retention-cleanup.md
What apply_retention_cleanup does on Todos
AI agents call apply_retention_cleanup to permanently remove resources in Todos, typically in cleanup and lifecycle workflows. It does its job in a single call, and there is no undo.
Why apply_retention_cleanup is rated Critical
Retention cleanup operations purge/delete data that has aged out or exceeded retention policies. The requirement for explicit confirmation (confirm=) strongly implies the action is irreversible. This falls under Destructive as it permanently removes data rather than modifying it reversibly.
From the tool's definition 'Apply local retention cleanup' - cleanup operations remove data, and requiring 'confirm=' suggests an irreversible destructive action that deletes retained items
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs apply_retention_cleanup safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Todos, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For apply_retention_cleanup, this is the rule to start with:
apply_retention_cleanup is removed from the agent's tool list entirely, so the agent never calls it. The rest of the server keeps working.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Todos, apply this rule, and every apply_retention_cleanup call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about apply_retention_cleanup
Apply local retention cleanup after a dry run. Requires confirm=. It is categorised as a Destructive tool in the Todos MCP Server, which means it can permanently delete or destroy data. Block by default and require explicit approval.
Register the Todos MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for apply_retention_cleanup: 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 Todos. Nothing to install.
apply_retention_cleanup is a Destructive tool with critical risk. Critical-risk tools should be blocked by default and only enabled with explicit human approval.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the apply_retention_cleanup 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 apply_retention_cleanup. 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.
apply_retention_cleanup is provided by the Todos MCP server (@hasna/todos). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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