create_email_label · Gmail MCP Server MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What create_email_label does on Gmail MCP Server

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

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why create_email_label needs a policy

Creating a label is a reversible write operation that modifies the user's Gmail organization structure. It does not read sensitive data, execute code, destroy data permanently, or involve financial transactions. The blast radius is minimal—an agent creating unwanted labels is easily corrected by deletion.

From the tool's definition Tool name is 'create_email_label' and description states 'Create a new Gmail label'. This creates a new data structure (a label) in Gmail that can be reversed by deleting the label.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

create_email_label Rate-limited

create_email_label 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": {
    "create_email_label": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "create_email_label_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 Gmail MCP Server, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about create_email_label

What does the create_email_label tool do? +

Create a new Gmail label. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Gmail 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 create_email_label? +

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

What risk level is create_email_label? +

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

Can I rate-limit create_email_label? +

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

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

create_email_label is provided by the Gmail MCP Server MCP server (xiangwanggithub/gmail-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.