AI agents use Update-Todo to create or update resources in Todos — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Todos environment.
Update-Todo modifies existing todo items but does not delete or irreversibly destroy data. It is reversible (changes can be undone by updating again), placing it in the Write category rather than Destructive. Severity is medium because a malicious agent could modify many tasks to disrupt workflow, but the impact is recoverable.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'Update-Todo' and description 'Update a todo' indicate modification of existing task data. Sibling tools include destructive operations (implied by 'delete' mentioned in server description), but this specific tool only updates/modifies reversibly.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access Update-Todo gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Todos, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for Update-Todo:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"Update-Todo": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "update-todo_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 30,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}Update-Todo 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.
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Update a todo. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Todos MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Register the Todos MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for Update-Todo: 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.
Update-Todo 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 Update-Todo 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 Update-Todo. 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.
Update-Todo is provided by the Todos MCP server (tomelliot/todos-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Todos, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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11 Todos tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.