delete_pages_by_pattern

THE RISK

Critical Risk

This tool performs irreversible deletion of website pages based on pattern matching. Even though the stated use case is cleanup of version URLs and static assets, the pattern-matching mechanism introduces significant blast radius risk: an AI agent with imprecise pattern logic could delete unintended pages at scale. Deletion cannot be undone, making this Destructive rather than Write.

From the tool's definition Tool name contains 'delete' and description explicitly states 'Delete website pages matching URL patterns'. The description confirms irreversible removal of content.

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

HOW TO CONTROL DELETE_PAGES_BY_PATTERN

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 delete_pages_by_pattern:

policy.json

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

delete_pages_by_pattern 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

Destructive cancel_scrape_job Cancel an active or pending scraping job Destructive delete_all_website_pages Delete all pages for a website (useful for clean slate before re-scraping) Destructive delete_execution_plan Delete an execution plan by ID Destructive delete_pages_by_ids Delete specific pages by their IDs Destructive delete_room Permanently delete a communication room and all its messages Destructive force_unlock_job Force unlock a stuck scraping job - useful for debugging and recovery Destructive remove_file_analysis Remove analysis data for a deleted file from the TreeSummary system Destructive run_comprehensive_cleanup Run comprehensive cleanup for both agents and rooms with detailed reporting

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 delete_pages_by_pattern tool do? +

Delete website pages matching URL patterns (useful for cleaning up version URLs, static assets). 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 delete_pages_by_pattern? +

Register the ZMCPTools MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for delete_pages_by_pattern: 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 delete_pages_by_pattern? +

delete_pages_by_pattern 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 delete_pages_by_pattern? +

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

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

delete_pages_by_pattern 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 DELETE_PAGES_BY_PATTERN ON ZMCPTOOLS DOES

// THE RISK

// HOW TO CONTROL DELETE_PAGES_BY_PATTERN

// EXPLORE