AI agents use ungroup 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.
The tool modifies document state by ungrouping objects, making it a Write operation rather than Read (no data retrieval only) or Destructive (the change is reversible—objects remain intact and can be regrouped). Severity is medium because misuse could corrupt design layouts or break intentional grouping structures, but the effect is not permanent and can be undone in InDesign.
From the tool's definition Tool name: 'ungroup'. Description: 'Ungroup a group, releasing all its items.' This modifies document structure by reorganizing grouped objects, which is reversible (items can be regrouped).
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access ungroup 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 ungroup:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"ungroup": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "ungroup_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 30,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}ungroup 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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Ungroup a group, releasing all its items. 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 ungroup: 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.
ungroup 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 ungroup 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 ungroup. 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.
ungroup 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.