restart_gateway · LocalAnt MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What restart_gateway does on LocalAnt

AI agents invoke restart_gateway to trigger actions in LocalAnt. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call — builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why restart_gateway needs a policy

This tool executes a system-level operation—restarting/reloading the gateway—which is an irreversible action affecting the running service. While not directly destructive to data, it disrupts the availability and control plane of the entire LocalAnt system, making it Execute rather than Write. An AI agent invoking this without explicit user intent could cause service interruption.

From the tool's definition Tool name is 'restart_gateway' with description 'Reload configuration into the running gateway.' This triggers an external operation (gateway restart/reload) that cannot be precisely predicted without knowing the full configuration context.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

restart_gateway Rate-limited

restart_gateway stays usable, but rate-capped — a runaway agent can't fire it dozens of times a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "restart_gateway": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "restart_gateway_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

RATE-LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Instant setup, no code required.

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: every tool call is checked against your rule before it reaches LocalAnt, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about restart_gateway

What does the restart_gateway tool do? +

Reload configuration into the running gateway. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the LocalAnt MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on restart_gateway? +

Register the LocalAnt MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for restart_gateway: 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 LocalAnt. Nothing to install.

What risk level is restart_gateway? +

restart_gateway is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.

Can I rate-limit restart_gateway? +

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

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

restart_gateway is provided by the LocalAnt MCP server (yuga-hashimoto/localant). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.