Download a youtube video from a given URL
AI agents use download_youtube_video to create or update resources in MCP YouTube-DLP — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your MCP YouTube-DLP environment.
Downloading a video writes a new file to disk. It is reversible (the file can be deleted), so it falls under Write rather than Destructive. Misuse could fill disk space or download unwanted content, giving it medium severity.
From the tool's definition "Download a youtube video from a given URL" — creates a new file on the local filesystem
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access download_youtube_video gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and MCP YouTube-DLP, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for download_youtube_video:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"download_youtube_video": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "download_youtube_video_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 30,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}download_youtube_video 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.
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Download a youtube video from a given URL. It is categorised as a Write tool in the MCP YouTube-DLP MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Register the MCP YouTube-DLP MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for download_youtube_video: 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 YouTube-DLP. Nothing to install.
download_youtube_video is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the download_youtube_video 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.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for download_youtube_video. 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.
download_youtube_video is provided by the MCP YouTube-DLP MCP server (yorickchan/mcp_youtube_dlp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from MCP YouTube-DLP, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
Free to start. No card required.
3 MCP YouTube-DLP tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.