restart · Syncthing MCP Server MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What restart does on Syncthing MCP Server

AI agents invoke restart to trigger actions in Syncthing MCP Server. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call — builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why restart needs a policy

This tool triggers an external operation (service restart) whose effects are dependent on the system state and cannot be trivially undone without manual intervention. While not destructive (data is not deleted), it is more severe than Write (which is reversible) because it actively executes a command that disrupts running services.

From the tool's definition The tool 'restart' performs a service restart action that interrupts connections and causes external system state changes. The description states 'Restart the Syncthing service.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

restart Rate-limited

restart stays usable, but rate-capped — a runaway agent can't fire it dozens of times a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "restart": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "restart_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

RATE-LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Instant setup, no code required.

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: every tool call is checked against your rule before it reaches Syncthing MCP Server, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about restart

What does the restart tool do? +

Restart the Syncthing service. Connections will be briefly interrupted. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Syncthing MCP Server MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on restart? +

Register the Syncthing MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for restart: 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 Syncthing MCP Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is restart? +

restart is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.

Can I rate-limit restart? +

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

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

restart is provided by the Syncthing MCP Server MCP server (zaphodsdad/syncthing-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.