This record as markdown: /tools/verimem/hippo-skill-promote.md
What hippo_skill_promote does on Verimem
AI agents use hippo_skill_promote to create or update resources in Verimem, usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Verimem environment.
Why hippo_skill_promote is rated Medium
This tool creates or modifies data (skill status/promotion state) in a reversible manner. It does not execute arbitrary code, delete data permanently, move money, or retrieve information without side effects. The incomplete description ('promote a skill to') limits confidence, but the core action is clearly a state modification (Write category).
From the tool's definition Tool name 'hippo_skill_promote' and description 'Manually promote a skill to' indicate a state-change operation that modifies skill status or configuration. The verb 'promote' suggests elevation or change of a skill's state/tier within the system.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs hippo_skill_promote safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Verimem, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For hippo_skill_promote, this is the rule to start with:
hippo_skill_promote 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.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Verimem, apply this rule, and every hippo_skill_promote call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about hippo_skill_promote
Manually promote a skill to. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Verimem MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Register the Verimem MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for hippo_skill_promote: 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 Verimem. Nothing to install.
hippo_skill_promote 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 hippo_skill_promote 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 hippo_skill_promote. 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.
hippo_skill_promote is provided by the Verimem MCP server (aureliocpr-ctrl/verimem). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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