deleteMediaFile

THE RISK

Critical Risk

Why deleteMediaFile needs a policy

This tool permanently removes media files from the Anki collection with no undo mechanism. File deletion is inherently destructive and irreversible. While the blast radius is limited to media files rather than entire decks or critical data structures, the operation cannot be undone, justifying the Destructive category over Execute.

From the tool's definition deleteMediaFile - 'Deletes the specified file from Anki'. The tool name explicitly contains 'delete' and the description confirms it removes files irreversibly.

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access deleteMediaFile gives an agent:

POLICY

How to control deleteMediaFile

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Anki, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for deleteMediaFile:

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "hide": [
    "deleteMediaFile"
  ]
}

deleteMediaFile disappears from the agent's tool list entirely, and any attempt to call it is denied. The rest of the server keeps working.

Create a free account and register Anki — nothing to install.
Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.

RESTRICT THIS TOOL →

Free to start. No card required.

EXPLORE

Related tools and policies

More Anki tools

Destructive deleteDecks Deletes decks with the given names. The Destructive deleteNotes Deletes notes with the given IDs. Destructive modelFieldRemove Removes a field from an existing model. Write removeTags Removes tags from the specified notes. Write changeDeck Moves cards with the given IDs to a different deck, creating the deck if it doesn Write storeMediaFile Stores a media file in Anki Write unsuspend Unsuspends the specified cards. Returns true on success. Write addNote Creates a new note using the given deck, model, fields, and tags. Returns the ID of the cr

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Go deeper

Critical-risk tools in Anki → Every critical-risk tool this server exposes, in one view.
All critical-risk MCP tools → Every critical-risk tool across the catalogue, and the policy pattern that contains them.
The MCP Attack Database → Documented attack patterns against MCP deployments — and the policies that stop them.
Blast radius → How much damage one compromised or confused agent can do — and how to bound it.
Tool call approval → Approval gates on individual tool calls: auto-allow, prompt, or deny.
Rate Limiting MCP Tool Calls: A Practical Guide →
MCP Security: Why Prompt Guardrails Aren't Enough →

FAQ

Questions about deleteMediaFile

What does the deleteMediaFile tool do? +

Deletes the specified file from Anki. It is categorised as a Destructive tool in the Anki MCP Server, which means it can permanently delete or destroy data. Block by default and require explicit approval.

How do I enforce a policy on deleteMediaFile? +

Register the Anki MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for deleteMediaFile: 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 Anki. Nothing to install.

What risk level is deleteMediaFile? +

deleteMediaFile is a Destructive tool with critical risk. Critical-risk tools should be blocked by default and only enabled with explicit human approval.

Can I rate-limit deleteMediaFile? +

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

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

deleteMediaFile is provided by the Anki MCP server (ujisati/anki-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Anki tool call.

Start from Anki, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.

CHECK YOUR STACK →