publish_post · WordPress MCP Server MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What publish_post does on WordPress MCP Server

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

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why publish_post needs a policy

publish_post modifies post state and makes content visible to the public, affecting site content visibility and SEO. It is reversible (can be unpublished), so it falls under Write rather than Destructive. Severity is high because publishing incorrect, malicious, or sensitive content to a live WordPress site could cause reputational harm, breach of confidentiality, or distribution of harmful material.

From the tool's definition Tool description: 'Publish a draft or pending post immediately' — performs state transition from draft/pending to published, modifying post status irreversibly in the operational sense (though technically reversible by unpublishing).

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

publish_post Rate-limited

publish_post 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": {
    "publish_post": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "publish_post_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 WordPress MCP Server, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about publish_post

What does the publish_post tool do? +

Publish a draft or pending post immediately. It is categorised as a Write tool in the WordPress MCP Server MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on publish_post? +

Register the WordPress MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for publish_post: 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 WordPress MCP Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is publish_post? +

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

Can I rate-limit publish_post? +

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

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

publish_post is provided by the WordPress MCP Server MCP server (wolffcatskyy/wordpress-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.