Medium Risk

boot_simulator

Boots an iOS simulator identified by its UDID.

Part of the Xcode MCP server. Enforce policies on this tool with Intercept, the open-source MCP proxy.

AI agents use boot_simulator to create or modify resources in Xcode. Write operations carry medium risk because an autonomous agent could trigger bulk unintended modifications. Rate limits prevent a single agent session from making hundreds of changes in rapid succession. Argument validation ensures the agent passes expected values.

Without a policy, an AI agent could call boot_simulator repeatedly, creating or modifying resources faster than any human could review. Intercept's rate limiting ensures write operations happen at a controlled pace, and argument validation catches malformed or unexpected inputs before they reach Xcode.

Write tools can modify data. A rate limit prevents runaway bulk operations from AI agents.

xcode.yaml
tools:
  boot_simulator:
    rules:
      - action: allow
        rate_limit:
          max: 30
          window: 60

See the full Xcode policy for all 18 tools.

Tool Name boot_simulator
Category Write
MCP Server Xcode MCP Server
Risk Level Medium

View all 18 tools →

Agents calling write-class tools like boot_simulator have been implicated in these attack patterns. Read the full case and prevention policy for each:

Browse the full MCP Attack Database →

Other tools in the Write risk category across the catalogue. The same policy patterns (rate-limit, validate) apply to each.

What does the boot_simulator tool do? +

Boots an iOS simulator identified by its UDID.. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Xcode MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on boot_simulator? +

Add a rule in your Intercept YAML policy under the tools section for boot_simulator. You can allow, deny, rate-limit, or validate arguments. Then run Intercept as a proxy in front of the Xcode MCP server.

What risk level is boot_simulator? +

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

Can I rate-limit boot_simulator? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the boot_simulator rule in your Intercept 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 boot_simulator completely? +

Set action: deny in the Intercept policy for boot_simulator. 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 boot_simulator? +

boot_simulator is provided by the Xcode MCP server (xcode-mcp-server). Intercept sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Let agents act without letting them run wild.

Deterministic policy on every MCP tool call. Per-identity grants. Full audit log.

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