AI agents use pauseTask to create or update resources in Ava — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Ava environment.
The tool modifies task state (pause) without permanently deleting or destroying data. It is reversible (a paused task can be resumed, as evidenced by the sibling 'resumeTask' tool). This classifies as Write rather than Execute because it updates task metadata/status rather than running arbitrary code or commands.
From the tool's definition The tool name is 'pauseTask' and the description (translated from Japanese: 'Input specifications for pausing a task') indicates it modifies the state of a task by pausing it. This is a reversible state change operation.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access pauseTask gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Ava, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for pauseTask:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"pauseTask": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "pausetask_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 30,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}pauseTask 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.
Free to start. No card required.
タスクを一時休止するための入力仕様。. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Ava MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Register the Ava MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for pauseTask: 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 Ava. Nothing to install.
pauseTask 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 pauseTask 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 pauseTask. 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.
pauseTask is provided by the Ava MCP server (yutakobayashidev/ava). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Ava, 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.
10 Ava tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.