Place an image on the active page with scaling and fitting options
AI agents use place_image 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 or modifies document content by inserting an image into an InDesign page. While it does not delete, overwrite irreversibly, or execute arbitrary code, it does alter the document state in a way that persists unless manually undone. This is a Write-class operation (create/modify).
From the tool's definition Tool name 'place_image' and description 'Place an image on the active page with scaling and fitting options' indicates creation/modification of document content. The verb 'place' implies adding new visual elements to the design document.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access place_image 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 place_image:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"place_image": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "place_image_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 30,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}place_image 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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Place an image on the active page with scaling and fitting options. 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 place_image: 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.
place_image 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 place_image 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 place_image. 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.
place_image 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.