label_email · Gmail MCP Server MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What label_email does on Gmail MCP Server

AI agents use label_email 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 label_email needs a policy

Labeling constitutes a write operation as it modifies email state by adding organizational metadata. It is reversible (labels can be removed), so it does not qualify as Destructive. The severity is medium because misuse could result in emails being mislabeled (affecting message retrieval and organization), but does not involve deletion, data loss, or financial impact.

From the tool's definition Tool description states 'Apply a label to an email' — labeling is a reversible modification operation that changes email metadata/organization without altering the email content itself.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

label_email Rate-limited

label_email 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": {
    "label_email": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "label_email_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 label_email

What does the label_email tool do? +

Apply a label to an email. 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 label_email? +

Register the Gmail MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for label_email: 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 label_email? +

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

Can I rate-limit label_email? +

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

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

label_email 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.