AI agents use create_master_guides to create or update resources in InDesign MCP Server — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your InDesign MCP Server environment.
This tool creates guides—non-destructive design aids used for layout alignment—on a master spread. Guides are easily modifiable or deletable design metadata, so the action is reversible. The tool performs a creation operation that modifies the document state but causes no irreversible damage and does not execute external code or affect financial systems.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'create_master_guides' and description 'Create guides on a master spread' indicate creation of design elements (guides) on a master spread in InDesign.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access create_master_guides gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and InDesign MCP Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for create_master_guides:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"create_master_guides": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "create_master_guides_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 30,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
} create_master_guides 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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Create guides on a master spread. It is categorised as a Write tool in the InDesign MCP Server MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Register the InDesign MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for create_master_guides: 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 InDesign MCP Server. Nothing to install.
create_master_guides 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 create_master_guides 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 create_master_guides. 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.
create_master_guides is provided by the InDesign MCP Server MCP server (zachshallbetter/indesign-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from InDesign MCP Server, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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135 InDesign MCP Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.