cleanup_orphaned_projects

THE RISK

Critical Risk

Cleaning up project directories implies permanent deletion of files and folder structures. Even if directories are 'orphaned', this operation cannot be undone and could result in significant data loss if misclassified projects are removed. The blast radius is high as entire project directories could be wiped.

From the tool's definition 'Clean up orphaned or unused project directories' — removing/deleting project directories is an irreversible destructive action

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access cleanup_orphaned_projects gives an agent:

HOW TO CONTROL CLEANUP_ORPHANED_PROJECTS

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and ZMCPTools, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for cleanup_orphaned_projects:

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "hide": [
    "cleanup_orphaned_projects"
  ]
}

cleanup_orphaned_projects disappears from the agent's tool list entirely, and any attempt to call it is denied. The rest of the server keeps working.

Create a free account and register ZMCPTools — nothing to install.
Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.

RESTRICT THIS TOOL →

Free to start. No card required.

EXPLORE

More ZMCPTools tools

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All 70 ZMCPTools tools →

Destructive tools on other servers

Frida Game Hacking MCP clear_scan MegaMemory remove_concept Frida Agent MCP kill_app 1MCP Server mcp_uninstall

Go deeper

Critical-risk tools in ZMCPTools → Every critical-risk tool this server exposes, in one view.
All critical-risk MCP tools → Every critical-risk tool across the catalogue, and the policy pattern that contains them.
The MCP Attack Database → Documented attack patterns against MCP deployments — and the policies that stop them.
Rate Limiting MCP Tool Calls: A Practical Guide →
MCP Security: Why Prompt Guardrails Aren't Enough →

FAQ

What does the cleanup_orphaned_projects tool do? +

Clean up orphaned or unused project directories. It is categorised as a Destructive tool in the ZMCPTools MCP Server, which means it can permanently delete or destroy data. Block by default and require explicit approval.

How do I enforce a policy on cleanup_orphaned_projects? +

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

What risk level is cleanup_orphaned_projects? +

cleanup_orphaned_projects is a Destructive tool with critical risk. Critical-risk tools should be blocked by default and only enabled with explicit human approval.

Can I rate-limit cleanup_orphaned_projects? +

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

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

cleanup_orphaned_projects is provided by the ZMCPTools MCP server (zachhandley/zmcptools). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every ZMCPTools tool call.

Deterministic rules across all 70 ZMCPTools tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.

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70 ZMCPTools tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.

// WHAT CLEANUP_ORPHANED_PROJECTS ON ZMCPTOOLS DOES

// THE RISK

// HOW TO CONTROL CLEANUP_ORPHANED_PROJECTS

// EXPLORE