link_work_items · Mcp Gitlab MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What link_work_items does on Mcp Gitlab

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

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why link_work_items needs a policy

The tool modifies project structure by establishing parent-child relationships between work items, which is a reversible Write operation. While it affects project organization and workflow hierarchy, it does not execute arbitrary code, delete data, move financial resources, or trigger destructive changes. The dry-run safety feature (dry_run=true by default) further mitigates risk.

From the tool's definition "Attach one or more work items (issues or epics) as children of a parent work item (epic)" - this creates or modifies hierarchical relationships between work items.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

link_work_items Rate-limited

link_work_items 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": {
    "link_work_items": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "link_work_items_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 Mcp Gitlab, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about link_work_items

What does the link_work_items tool do? +

Attach one or more work items (issues or epics) as children of a parent work item (epic). Uses the Work Items hierarchy widget — the canonical GitLab 17+ replacement for add_issue_to_epic. Idempotent: existing children of the parent are preserved. Resolve GIDs via get_work_item_id. dry_run=true by default. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Mcp Gitlab MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on link_work_items? +

Register the Mcp Gitlab MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for link_work_items: 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 Mcp Gitlab. Nothing to install.

What risk level is link_work_items? +

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

Can I rate-limit link_work_items? +

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

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

link_work_items is provided by the Mcp Gitlab MCP server (wanadev/gitlab-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.