forward_messages · Telegram MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What forward_messages does on Telegram

AI agents use forward_messages to create or update resources in Telegram — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Telegram environment.

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why forward_messages needs a policy

Forwarding messages is a reversible write operation that creates new data (forwarded message records) in destination chats without deleting or permanently destroying information. It modifies chat state but can be undone by deleting the forwarded messages. This is less severe than Destructive (which irreversibly removes data) but more severe than Read operations.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'forward_messages' combined with server description stating the server 'Enables AI agents to read, send, and organize Telegram messages and chats.' The sibling tools include 'send_messages' (Write operations) and 'delete_messages' (Destructive…

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

forward_messages Rate-limited

forward_messages 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.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "forward_messages": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "forward_messages_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 30,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Instant setup, no code required.

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

FAQ

Questions about forward_messages

What does the forward_messages tool do? +

forward_messages. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Telegram MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on forward_messages? +

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

What risk level is forward_messages? +

forward_messages is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.

Can I rate-limit forward_messages? +

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

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

forward_messages is provided by the Telegram MCP server (vovavindar/telegram-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.