handoff_restart · Conversation Handoff MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What handoff_restart does on Conversation Handoff MCP

AI agents invoke handoff_restart to trigger actions in Conversation Handoff MCP. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call — builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why handoff_restart needs a policy

handoff_restart triggers real processes with real consequences. An agent gone sideways doesn't fire it once — it starts dozens of builds, sends mass notifications, or burns through compute before anyone looks up.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

handoff_restart Rate-limited

handoff_restart stays usable, but rate-capped — a runaway agent can't fire it dozens of times a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "handoff_restart": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "handoff_restart_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

RATE-LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Instant setup, no code required.

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: every tool call is checked against your rule before it reaches Conversation Handoff MCP, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about handoff_restart

What does the handoff_restart tool do? +

Restart the shared HTTP server. Useful when the server is in an unhealthy state. All stored handoffs will be lost (data is in-memory). It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Conversation Handoff MCP MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on handoff_restart? +

Register the Conversation Handoff MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for handoff_restart: 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 Conversation Handoff MCP. Nothing to install.

What risk level is handoff_restart? +

handoff_restart is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.

Can I rate-limit handoff_restart? +

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

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

handoff_restart is provided by the Conversation Handoff MCP server (trust-delta/conversation-handoff-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.