fix(security): stop the agent from re-enabling tools an admin disabled (#6357)

* fix(security): stop the agent from re-enabling tools an admin disabled

settings.json:disabled_tools is the only global tool-permission boundary
the Settings > Agent Tools panel offers, yet manage_settings exposed an
`enable_tool` action that removed entries from it. Any agent turn could
undo the admin's restriction, and because the agent reads untrusted web
pages, emails and documents, a planted instruction could re-enable bash,
email or any other tool that had been switched off.

The denylist can now only be narrowed from a turn: `disable_tool` and
`list_tools` keep working, `enable_tool` is refused with a message that
points the user to Settings > Agent Tools, and the action is dropped from
the function schema, the prompt rule and the tool index so models are not
steered into calling it. The free-form set/delete/reset actions were
already unable to reach `disabled_tools`; a test now pins that.

Fixes #5523

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5.1 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01UAB5sz5srMKR7rbeDFtdMH

* fix(settings): close internal API tool-policy bypass

Refuse global tool-policy replacement from internal-token requests even when an admin owner is impersonated, and block the same write in app_api. Route explicit image re-enable requests to list_tools with a Settings pointer. Keep disabled_tools outside general settings actions even if a default is added later. Remove the retired action from capability metadata. Validation: 573 focused tests passed; the running app rejected handler, generic API and encoded-path internal HTTP attempts while preserving human administrator controls.

* fix(mcp): block agent writes to per-server MCP tool policy

PATCH /api/mcp/servers/{id}/tools only checked require_admin, which accepts
the internal tool token, and app_api still forwarded it, so an agent turn
could re-enable MCP tools an admin had switched off. Refuse the internal
token on that route (same check as POST /api/tools) and add PATCH
/api/mcp/servers to the app_api blocklist, with regression tests.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01BCbhLNC7mJsunxqfwwshqn

---------

Co-authored-by: Claude Fable 5.1 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Co-authored-by: Afonso Junior <chatgpt@yack.com.br>

routes/mcp/mcp_routes.py

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import os
 import uuid
 import urllib.parse
 import html
+import secrets
 from pathlib import Path
 from fastapi import APIRouter, Form, HTTPException, Request
 from fastapi.responses import RedirectResponse, HTMLResponse
@@ -12,7 +13,7 @@ import logging
 import httpx
 
 from core.database import McpServer, SessionLocal
-from core.middleware import require_admin
+from core.middleware import INTERNAL_TOOL_HEADER, INTERNAL_TOOL_TOKEN, require_admin
 from src.constants import DATA_DIR, MCP_OAUTH_DIR
 from src.mcp_manager import McpManager
 
@@ -424,6 +425,11 @@ def setup_mcp_routes(mcp_manager: McpManager):
         Expects JSON body: {"disabled": ["tool_name_1", "tool_name_2"]}
         """
         require_admin(request)
+        internal_token = request.headers.get(INTERNAL_TOOL_HEADER)
+        if internal_token and secrets.compare_digest(internal_token, INTERNAL_TOOL_TOKEN):
+            # Same boundary as POST /api/tools: an agent turn must not be able
+            # to re-enable MCP tools an admin switched off.
+            raise HTTPException(403, "Change MCP tool policy in Settings > Integrations, not from chat")
         db = SessionLocal()
         try:
             srv = db.query(McpServer).filter(McpServer.id == server_id).first()

routes/model_routes.py

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import json
 import hashlib
 import ipaddress
 import socket
+import secrets
 import time as _time
 import logging
 import threading
@@ -3091,6 +3092,12 @@ def setup_model_routes(model_discovery):
     def update_tools(body: ToolsUpdate, request: Request):
         """Update which tools are disabled."""
         require_admin(request)
+        from core.middleware import INTERNAL_TOOL_HEADER, INTERNAL_TOOL_TOKEN
+        internal_token = request.headers.get(INTERNAL_TOOL_HEADER)
+        if internal_token and secrets.compare_digest(internal_token, INTERNAL_TOOL_TOKEN):
+            # Owner impersonation can carry an admin username, so check the
+            # authenticated transport rather than request.state.current_user.
+            raise HTTPException(403, "Change tool policy in Settings > Agent Tools, not from chat")
         settings = _load_settings()
         settings["disabled_tools"] = body.disabled
         _save_settings(settings)

src/agent_loop.py

@@ -2834,7 +2834,7 @@ def _parse_qwen_explicit_admin_request(text: str) -> Optional[tuple[str, str]]:
     if re.search(r"\b(?:disabled\s+tools?|tools?\s+(?:are\s+)?(?:currently\s+)?disabled)\b", q):
         return "manage_settings", json.dumps({"action": "list_tools"})
     if re.search(r"\b(?:turn|enable|re-enable|reenable)\b.{0,40}\b(?:image\s+generation|images?|generate_image)\b", q):
-        return "manage_settings", json.dumps({"action": "enable_tool", "tool": "images"})
+        return "manage_settings", json.dumps({"action": "list_tools"})
     if re.search(r"\b(?:disable|turn\s+off)\b.{0,40}\b(?:image\s+generation|images?|generate_image)\b", q):
         return "manage_settings", json.dumps({"action": "disable_tool", "tool": "images"})
     if listish and re.search(r"\bapi\s+tokens?\b|\btokens?\b", q):
@@ -8057,7 +8057,7 @@ Generate an image. Line 1 = description, line 2 = model name, line 3 = WxH (e.g.
     "manage_tokens": "- ```manage_tokens``` — Generate or revoke API access tokens for external integrations. Args (JSON): {\"action\": \"list|create|delete\", ...}",
     "manage_documents": "- ```manage_documents``` — List, read/open, delete, or tidy documents in the editor panel. Args (JSON): {\"action\": \"list|read|delete|tidy\", ...}. `list` returns rows like `[Title](#document-<id>) — lang, size, updated 5m ago` sorted MOST-RECENT FIRST; the user clicks the anchor to open. `read` (aliases: view/open/get) takes `document_id` and returns the content. When the user asks \"open/show/read my notes\" or \"what documents do I have\", use this — do NOT shell out, do NOT curl.",
     "manage_research": "- ```manage_research``` — List, read/open, or delete saved DEEP RESEARCH results from the Library. Args (JSON): {\"action\": \"list|read|delete\", \"id\": \"<id>\", \"search\": \"...\"}. `list` returns rows like `[query](#research-<id>) — N sources` MOST-RECENT FIRST; the user clicks to open. `read` (aliases: open/view/get) takes `id` and returns the report text + sources. Use when the user says \"open/read/find/delete my research\" or \"that report\". This IS how you read a finished report: when the user refers to a just-completed deep-research job (\"check it out\", \"read that report\", \"summarize the research\") WITHOUT giving an id, call `manage_research` with `action:list` to get the most-recent id, then `action:read` with that id, and answer from the returned text. Do NOT `web_fetch`/`app_api` the `/api/research/report/{id}` URL — that endpoint renders HTML for the browser, not clean text — and do NOT start a fresh `web_search`/`trigger_research` just to read an existing report. To START new research, use trigger_research instead.",
-    "manage_settings": "- ```manage_settings``` — View/change the REAL app settings (same ones the Settings panel writes) AND turn tools on/off. Change a setting: `{\"action\":\"set\",\"key\":\"...\",\"value\":\"...\"}` — keys accept friendly aliases, e.g. voice→tts_voice, \"search engine\"→search_provider, \"default model\"→default_model, \"teacher model\"→teacher_model, \"task/background model\"→task_model, \"image quality\"→image_quality, \"reminder channel\"→reminder_channel (browser|email|ntfy), \"agent timeout\"/\"max tool calls\"/\"token budget\". Read: `{\"action\":\"get\",\"key\":\"...\"}`; see all: `{\"action\":\"list\"}`; reset one: `{\"action\":\"reset\",\"key\":\"...\"}`. Use this when the user asks to change ANY preference instead of making them open Settings. Secrets/API keys are read-only (tell them to set those in the panel). Tool toggles: `{\"action\":\"disable_tool|enable_tool\",\"tool\":\"shell\"}` (aliases: shell/search/browser/documents/memory/skills/images/tasks/notes/calendar/email), list disabled: `{\"action\":\"list_tools\"}`.",
+    "manage_settings": "- ```manage_settings``` — View/change the REAL app settings (same ones the Settings panel writes) AND turn tools on/off. Change a setting: `{\"action\":\"set\",\"key\":\"...\",\"value\":\"...\"}` — keys accept friendly aliases, e.g. voice→tts_voice, \"search engine\"→search_provider, \"default model\"→default_model, \"teacher model\"→teacher_model, \"task/background model\"→task_model, \"image quality\"→image_quality, \"reminder channel\"→reminder_channel (browser|email|ntfy), \"agent timeout\"/\"max tool calls\"/\"token budget\". Read: `{\"action\":\"get\",\"key\":\"...\"}`; see all: `{\"action\":\"list\"}`; reset one: `{\"action\":\"reset\",\"key\":\"...\"}`. Use this when the user asks to change ANY preference instead of making them open Settings. Secrets/API keys are read-only (tell them to set those in the panel). Tool toggles: `{\"action\":\"disable_tool\",\"tool\":\"shell\"}` (aliases: shell/search/browser/documents/memory/skills/images/tasks/notes/calendar/email), list disabled: `{\"action\":\"list_tools\"}`. You cannot re-enable a disabled tool: that is done by the user in Settings > Agent Tools.",
     "manage_notes": """\
 ```manage_notes
 {"action": "add", "title": "<short todo>", "due_date": "<natural language or ISO datetime>"}

src/agent_tools/admin_tools.py

@@ -585,7 +585,9 @@ async def do_manage_settings(content: str, owner: Optional[str] = None) -> Dict:
             return _ALIASES_SET.get(k2, (k or "").strip())
 
         def _is_managed_key(key):
-            return key in DEFAULT_SETTINGS and key not in RETIRED_SETTING_KEYS
+            # Tool policy is not a general setting, even if a future default
+            # is added: resetting it must never re-enable disabled tools.
+            return key != "disabled_tools" and key in DEFAULT_SETTINGS and key not in RETIRED_SETTING_KEYS
 
         _ENUMS = {
             "image_quality": ["low", "medium", "high"],
@@ -713,13 +715,35 @@ async def do_manage_settings(content: str, owner: Optional[str] = None) -> Dict:
             save_settings(s)
             return {"response": f"Reset {key} to default ({DEFAULT_SETTINGS[key]}).", "exit_code": 0}
 
-        elif action in ("disable_tool", "enable_tool", "list_tools"):
+        elif action == "enable_tool":
+            # The global disabled_tools denylist is the one hard permission
+            # boundary the Settings -> Agent Tools panel offers admins. It
+            # must only ever be *narrowed* from inside an agent turn: a
+            # model that can call enable_tool can undo the boundary itself,
+            # and any web page, email, or document the agent reads can ask
+            # it to (prompt injection re-enabling bash/email/etc.). Widening
+            # the tool set stays a human action in the Settings panel.
+            tool_name = (args.get("tool") or args.get("name") or "").strip().lower()
+            return {
+                "error": (
+                    f"Re-enabling tools is not available from chat"
+                    f"{f' (requested: {tool_name})' if tool_name else ''}. "
+                    "Disabled tools are an admin policy: ask the user to turn the tool "
+                    "back on in Settings > Agent Tools. You can still disable tools "
+                    "(disable_tool) or list the current state (list_tools)."
+                ),
+                "exit_code": 1,
+            }
+
+        elif action in ("disable_tool", "list_tools"):
             # Tool-toggle actions. These edit settings.json:disabled_tools
             # (the global list read on every chat request) rather than
             # prefs.json. Friendly aliases accepted: "shell" -> "bash",
             # "search" -> "web_search", "browser" -> browser tools,
             # "documents" -> the document tool set, "memory" ->
-            # manage_memory, etc.
+            # manage_memory, etc. Only disable_tool mutates: see the
+            # enable_tool branch above for why the agent can never widen
+            # the denylist.
             from src.settings import get_setting, save_settings, load_settings
             _ALIASES = {
                 "shell": ["bash"],
@@ -753,7 +777,8 @@ async def do_manage_settings(content: str, owner: Optional[str] = None) -> Dict:
                     "response": (
                         f"Currently disabled: {', '.join(current) if current else '(none)'}.\n"
                         "Common toggles: shell (bash), search (web_search), browser, documents, "
-                        "memory, skills, images, tasks, notes, calendar, email."
+                        "memory, skills, images, tasks, notes, calendar, email. "
+                        "To re-enable a tool, open Settings > Agent Tools."
                     ),
                     "disabled": list(current),
                     "exit_code": 0,
@@ -767,22 +792,19 @@ async def do_manage_settings(content: str, owner: Optional[str] = None) -> Dict:
             settings = load_settings()
             current = list(settings.get("disabled_tools") or [])
             before = set(current)
-            if action == "disable_tool":
+            for t in targets:
-                for t in targets:
+                if t not in current:
-                    if t not in current:
+                    current.append(t)
-                        current.append(t)
-            else:  # enable_tool
-                current = [t for t in current if t not in targets]
             after = set(current)
             settings["disabled_tools"] = current
             save_settings(settings)
 
-            verb = "Disabled" if action == "disable_tool" else "Enabled"
             changed = sorted(after.symmetric_difference(before))
             return {
                 "response": (
-                    f"{verb} {tool_name} ({', '.join(targets)}). "
+                    f"Disabled {tool_name} ({', '.join(targets)}). "
-                    f"Now disabled: {', '.join(current) if current else '(none)'}."
+                    f"Now disabled: {', '.join(current) if current else '(none)'}. "
+                    "Re-enabling is done by the user in Settings > Agent Tools."
                 ),
                 "changed": changed,
                 "disabled": list(current),

src/tool_capabilities.py

@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ _PRIVATE_ACTION_WRITES: Mapping[str, frozenset[str]] = MappingProxyType(
         "manage_endpoints": frozenset({"add", "delete", "enable", "disable"}),
         "manage_mcp": frozenset({"add", "delete", "enable", "disable", "reconnect"}),
         "manage_settings": frozenset(
-            {"set", "delete", "reset", "disable_tool", "enable_tool"}
+            {"set", "delete", "reset", "disable_tool"}
         ),
         "manage_tokens": frozenset({"create", "delete"}),
         "manage_webhooks": frozenset({"add", "delete", "enable", "disable"}),

src/tool_index.py

@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ BUILTIN_TOOL_DESCRIPTIONS: Dict[str, str] = {
     "manage_tokens": "API token management: list, create, or delete API access tokens.",
     "manage_documents": "List, read, delete, or tidy documents in the editor panel. action='list' returns clickable rows (most-recent first) so the user can open any doc by clicking. action='read' (aka view/open/get) with document_id returns the content; supports offset=<N> + limit=<N> to page through large docs (response includes next_offset when more remains, so you can keep calling with offset=next_offset). action='delete' with document_id removes a doc (only way to delete). Use this for ANY 'show/read/list/open my documents/docs/files/notes' request — never shell or curl.",
     "manage_research": "List, read/open, or delete saved DEEP RESEARCH results from the Library. action='list' returns clickable [query](#research-<id>) rows (most-recent first). action='read' (aka open/view/get) with id returns the report + sources. action='delete' with id removes it. Use this for ANY 'open/read/find/delete my research / that report / the research on X' request. NOTE: this is for EXISTING research; to START new research use trigger_research.",
-    "manage_settings": "Change ANY real app setting (the ones the Settings panel writes) so the user never has to open it: TTS voice/provider/speed, STT, search engine + result count, default/teacher/task/utility/vision/image/research models, image quality, reminder channel (browser/email/ntfy), agent timeout/tool-call budget, and more. action=set with key (friendly aliases ok: voice, 'search engine', 'default model', 'teacher model', 'image quality', 'reminder channel'...) + value; get/list/reset too. Also toggles tools on/off (disable_tool/enable_tool/list_tools). Secrets/API keys are read-only. Use for any 'change my…/set my…/use X for…/turn on…' preference request.",
+    "manage_settings": "Change ANY real app setting (the ones the Settings panel writes) so the user never has to open it: TTS voice/provider/speed, STT, search engine + result count, default/teacher/task/utility/vision/image/research models, image quality, reminder channel (browser/email/ntfy), agent timeout/tool-call budget, and more. action=set with key (friendly aliases ok: voice, 'search engine', 'default model', 'teacher model', 'image quality', 'reminder channel'...) + value; get/list/reset too. Also turns tools off globally (disable_tool) and lists disabled ones (list_tools); re-enabling is only done by the user in Settings > Agent Tools. Secrets/API keys are read-only. Use for any 'change my…/set my…/use X for…/turn on…' preference request.",
     "create_session": "Create a new chat with a name and model.",
     "list_sessions": "List all chats with their metadata (the UI calls these 'chats'). Use for 'list my chats', 'rename all my chats' (list first, then manage_session to rename each).",
     "send_to_session": "Send a message to another chat. Cross-chat communication.",

src/tool_schemas.py

@@ -1292,14 +1292,14 @@ FUNCTION_TOOL_SCHEMAS = [
         "type": "function",
         "function": {
             "name": "manage_settings",
-            "description": "Manage user preferences and settings. Use `disable_tool`/`enable_tool`/`list_tools` to turn individual tools on or off globally (e.g. shell, search, browser, documents, memory, skills, images, tasks, notes, calendar, email). Use list/get/set/delete for free-form preferences.",
+            "description": "Manage user preferences and settings. Use `disable_tool`/`list_tools` to turn individual tools off globally or list what is disabled (e.g. shell, search, browser, documents, memory, skills, images, tasks, notes, calendar, email). Disabled tools can only be re-enabled by the user in Settings > Agent Tools, never from chat. Use list/get/set/delete for free-form preferences.",
             "parameters": {
                 "type": "object",
                 "properties": {
-                    "action": {"type": "string", "enum": ["list", "get", "set", "delete", "disable_tool", "enable_tool", "list_tools"]},
+                    "action": {"type": "string", "enum": ["list", "get", "set", "delete", "disable_tool", "list_tools"]},
                     "key": {"type": "string", "description": "Setting key (for get/set/delete)"},
                     "value": {"description": "Setting value (for set) — can be string, number, boolean, or object"},
-                    "tool": {"type": "string", "description": "Tool name to disable/enable (for disable_tool/enable_tool). Accepts aliases: shell, search, browser, documents, memory, skills, images, tasks, notes, calendar, email — or a raw tool name like 'bash' or 'web_search'."}
+                    "tool": {"type": "string", "description": "Tool name to disable (for disable_tool). Accepts aliases: shell, search, browser, documents, memory, skills, images, tasks, notes, calendar, email — or a raw tool name like 'bash' or 'web_search'."}
                 },
                 "required": ["action"]
             }

src/tools/system.py

@@ -769,6 +769,8 @@ _APP_API_BLOCKLIST_PREFIXES = (
 # {"tasks": []} to /api/cookbook/state, which overwrote the whole file.
 # Use dedicated tools or UI flows instead.
 _APP_API_BLOCKLIST_METHOD_PATH = (
+    ("POST",   "/api/tools"),  # global tool policy is changed by a human in Settings
+    ("PATCH",  "/api/mcp/servers"),  # per-server MCP tool policy and server toggles, same reason
     ("GET",    "/api/email/accounts"),  # owner-filtered in tool context; use list_email_accounts MCP tool
     ("POST",   "/api/cookbook/state"),   # whole-file overwrite — agent must use serve_preset/serve_model instead
     ("DELETE", "/api/cookbook/state"),
@@ -893,6 +895,10 @@ async def do_app_api(content: str, owner: Optional[str] = None) -> Dict:
     if method not in ("GET", "POST", "PUT", "PATCH", "DELETE"):
         return {"error": f"Unsupported method: {method}", "exit_code": 1}
     if any(method == m and path.startswith(p) for m, p in _APP_API_BLOCKLIST_METHOD_PATH):
+        if path.startswith("/api/tools"):
+            return {"error": "Tool policy cannot be replaced from chat. Re-enable tools in Settings > Agent Tools; use manage_settings to list or disable them.", "exit_code": 1}
+        if path.startswith("/api/mcp/servers"):
+            return {"error": "MCP server and tool policy cannot be changed from chat. Ask the user to change it in Settings > Integrations.", "exit_code": 1}
         if "/api/email/accounts" in path:
             return {"error": "Don't use /api/email/accounts via app_api — it is owner-filtered in tool context and may return empty. Use the `list_email_accounts` email tool, then pass `account` to list_emails/read_email.", "exit_code": 1}
         if "/api/cookbook/packages/install" in path:

tests/test_manage_settings_denylist_hard.py

@@ -0,0 +1,227 @@
+"""The global disabled_tools denylist must be a hard boundary for the agent.
+
+``manage_settings`` used to expose ``enable_tool``, which let any agent turn
+(admin-run, but reading arbitrary web pages, emails, and documents) remove
+entries from ``settings.json:disabled_tools`` — the only global tool
+permission mechanism the Settings > Agent Tools panel offers. A prompt
+injection could therefore re-enable bash, email, or any other tool an admin
+had switched off. Regression for issue #5523: the agent may still narrow the
+denylist (``disable_tool``) and inspect it (``list_tools``), but widening it
+is refused and left to a human in the Settings panel.
+"""
+
+import asyncio
+import json
+
+import pytest
+
+import src.settings as settings_mod
+from src.agent_tools.admin_tools import do_manage_settings
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def store(monkeypatch):
+    state = {"disabled_tools": ["bash", "manage_memory", "web_search", "web_fetch"]}
+    monkeypatch.setattr(settings_mod, "load_settings", lambda: dict(state))
+
+    def _save(s):
+        state.clear()
+        state.update(s)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(settings_mod, "save_settings", _save)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        settings_mod, "get_setting",
+        lambda key, default=None: state.get(key, default),
+    )
+    return state
+
+
+def _call(payload, owner="admin"):
+    return asyncio.run(do_manage_settings(json.dumps(payload), owner=owner))
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("tool", ["shell", "bash", "memory", "manage_memory", "search"])
+def test_enable_tool_is_refused_and_denylist_unchanged(store, tool):
+    before = list(store["disabled_tools"])
+    result = _call({"action": "enable_tool", "tool": tool})
+    assert result["exit_code"] == 1, result
+    assert "Settings" in result["error"]
+    assert store["disabled_tools"] == before
+
+
+def test_enable_tool_refused_without_tool_name(store):
+    before = list(store["disabled_tools"])
+    result = _call({"action": "enable_tool"})
+    assert result["exit_code"] == 1, result
+    assert store["disabled_tools"] == before
+
+
+def test_enable_tool_refused_via_name_alias_argument(store):
+    # The toggle branch also accepted `name` as the tool argument.
+    before = list(store["disabled_tools"])
+    result = _call({"action": "enable_tool", "name": "shell"})
+    assert result["exit_code"] == 1, result
+    assert store["disabled_tools"] == before
+
+
+def test_disable_tool_still_narrows_the_denylist(store):
+    result = _call({"action": "disable_tool", "tool": "images"})
+    assert result["exit_code"] == 0, result
+    assert "generate_image" in store["disabled_tools"]
+    # Nothing that was disabled before is re-enabled as a side effect.
+    for name in ("bash", "manage_memory", "web_search", "web_fetch"):
+        assert name in store["disabled_tools"]
+
+
+def test_list_tools_still_reports_the_denylist(store):
+    result = _call({"action": "list_tools"})
+    assert result["exit_code"] == 0, result
+    assert set(result["disabled"]) == {"bash", "manage_memory", "web_search", "web_fetch"}
+    assert "Settings > Agent Tools" in result["response"]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("action", ["set", "delete", "reset"])
+def test_disabled_tools_key_is_not_reachable_through_settings_actions(store, action):
+    # Belt and braces: the free-form settings actions must not offer a second
+    # path to the denylist (a `reset` would restore the default empty list).
+    before = list(store["disabled_tools"])
+    payload = {"action": action, "key": "disabled_tools"}
+    if action == "set":
+        payload["value"] = []
+    result = _call(payload)
+    assert result["exit_code"] == 1, result
+    assert store["disabled_tools"] == before
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("action", ["set", "delete", "reset"])
+def test_disabled_tools_stays_protected_if_added_to_defaults(store, monkeypatch, action):
+    # The old rejection depended on disabled_tools not being in DEFAULT_SETTINGS.
+    monkeypatch.setitem(settings_mod.DEFAULT_SETTINGS, "disabled_tools", [])
+    before = list(store["disabled_tools"])
+    result = _call({"action": action, "key": "disabled_tools", "value": []})
+    assert result["exit_code"] == 1, result
+    assert store["disabled_tools"] == before
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("path", ["/api/tools", "api/tools", "/api/tools/", "/api/tools?source=chat"])
+def test_app_api_cannot_replace_global_tool_policy(monkeypatch, path):
+    import httpx
+    from src.tools.system import do_app_api
+
+    def no_loopback(*args, **kwargs):
+        raise AssertionError("Tool policy write reached the HTTP client")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(httpx, "AsyncClient", no_loopback)
+    result = asyncio.run(do_app_api(json.dumps({
+        "action": "call", "method": "post", "path": path, "body": {"disabled": []},
+    }), owner="admin"))
+    assert result["exit_code"] == 1
+    assert "Settings > Agent Tools" in result["error"]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("internal", [True, False])
+def test_tools_api_requires_human_admin_for_policy_changes(store, monkeypatch, internal):
+    from types import SimpleNamespace
+    from starlette.requests import Request
+    from fastapi import HTTPException
+    from core.middleware import INTERNAL_TOOL_HEADER, INTERNAL_TOOL_TOKEN
+    import routes.model_routes as routes
+
+    monkeypatch.setenv("AUTH_ENABLED", "true")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(routes, "_load_settings", lambda: dict(store))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(routes, "_save_settings", lambda value: store.update(value))
+    router = routes.setup_model_routes(SimpleNamespace())
+    endpoint = next(r.endpoint for r in router.routes if r.path == "/api/tools" and "POST" in r.methods)
+    body = endpoint.__annotations__["body"](disabled=[])
+    headers = [(INTERNAL_TOOL_HEADER.lower().encode(), INTERNAL_TOOL_TOKEN.encode())] if internal else []
+    request = Request({
+        "type": "http", "method": "POST", "path": "/api/tools", "headers": headers,
+        "state": {"current_user": "admin"},
+        "app": SimpleNamespace(state=SimpleNamespace(auth_manager=SimpleNamespace(
+            is_configured=True, is_admin=lambda user: user == "admin",
+        ))),
+    })
+    if internal:
+        before = list(store["disabled_tools"])
+        with pytest.raises(HTTPException) as error:
+            endpoint(body, request)
+        assert error.value.status_code == 403
+        assert store["disabled_tools"] == before
+    else:
+        assert endpoint(body, request) == {"ok": True, "disabled": []}
+        assert store["disabled_tools"] == []
+
+
+def test_schema_no_longer_advertises_enable_tool():
+    import src.agent_tools  # noqa: F401  (resolves the schema import cycle)
+    from src.tool_schemas import FUNCTION_TOOL_SCHEMAS
+
+    schema = next(
+        t["function"] for t in FUNCTION_TOOL_SCHEMAS
+        if (t.get("function") or {}).get("name") == "manage_settings"
+    )
+    actions = schema["parameters"]["properties"]["action"]["enum"]
+    assert "enable_tool" not in actions
+    assert "disable_tool" in actions and "list_tools" in actions
+    assert "enable_tool" not in schema["description"]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("path", [
+    "/api/mcp/servers/srv1/tools", "api/mcp/servers/srv1/tools", "/api/mcp/servers/srv1",
+])
+def test_app_api_cannot_change_mcp_tool_policy(monkeypatch, path):
+    import httpx
+    from src.tools.system import do_app_api
+
+    def no_loopback(*args, **kwargs):
+        raise AssertionError("MCP tool policy write reached the HTTP client")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(httpx, "AsyncClient", no_loopback)
+    result = asyncio.run(do_app_api(json.dumps({
+        "action": "call", "method": "patch", "path": path, "body": {"disabled": []},
+    }), owner="admin"))
+    assert result["exit_code"] == 1
+    assert "Settings > Integrations" in result["error"]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("internal", [True, False])
+def test_mcp_tools_api_requires_human_admin_for_policy_changes(monkeypatch, internal):
+    from types import SimpleNamespace
+    from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+    from starlette.requests import Request
+    from fastapi import HTTPException
+    from core.middleware import INTERNAL_TOOL_HEADER, INTERNAL_TOOL_TOKEN
+    from routes.mcp import mcp_routes
+
+    server = SimpleNamespace(id="srv1", disabled_tools=json.dumps(["send_email"]))
+    session = MagicMock()
+    session.query.return_value.filter.return_value.first.return_value = server
+    monkeypatch.setenv("AUTH_ENABLED", "true")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(mcp_routes, "SessionLocal", lambda: session)
+    router = mcp_routes.setup_mcp_routes(MagicMock())
+    # setup_mcp_routes appends to the shared module router; take the latest.
+    endpoint = [r.endpoint for r in router.routes if getattr(r, "name", None) == "update_disabled_tools"][-1]
+    headers = [(b"content-type", b"application/json")]
+    if internal:
+        headers.append((INTERNAL_TOOL_HEADER.lower().encode(), INTERNAL_TOOL_TOKEN.encode()))
+
+    async def receive():
+        return {"type": "http.request", "body": b'{"disabled": []}', "more_body": False}
+
+    request = Request({
+        "type": "http", "method": "PATCH", "path": "/api/mcp/servers/srv1/tools", "headers": headers,
+        "state": {"current_user": "admin"},
+        "app": SimpleNamespace(state=SimpleNamespace(auth_manager=SimpleNamespace(
+            is_configured=True, is_admin=lambda user: user == "admin",
+        ))),
+    }, receive)
+    if internal:
+        with pytest.raises(HTTPException) as error:
+            asyncio.run(endpoint("srv1", request))
+        assert error.value.status_code == 403
+        assert server.disabled_tools == json.dumps(["send_email"])
+        session.commit.assert_not_called()
+    else:
+        assert asyncio.run(endpoint("srv1", request)) == {"id": "srv1", "disabled_count": 0}
+        assert server.disabled_tools is None
+        session.commit.assert_called_once()

tests/test_review_regressions.py

@@ -1050,12 +1050,14 @@ async def test_disable_tool_email_covers_full_builtin_set(monkeypatch):
         assert tool_name in disabled, tool_name
         assert f"mcp__email__{tool_name}" in disabled, tool_name
 
-    # enable_tool email must remove the full set again.
+    # enable_tool is refused from chat: the denylist is admin policy and can
+    # only be widened in Settings > Agent Tools (issue #5523). The full set
+    # must stay disabled.
     result = await do_manage_settings(
         '{"action": "enable_tool", "tool": "email"}', owner="admin"
     )
-    assert result["exit_code"] == 0
+    assert result["exit_code"] == 1
-    assert store["disabled_tools"] == []
+    assert set(store["disabled_tools"]) == disabled
 
 
 def _install_admin_auth_stub(monkeypatch):

tests/test_tool_policy.py

@@ -3087,7 +3087,7 @@ def test_qwen_explicit_admin_requests_build_safe_args():
     )
     assert al._parse_qwen_explicit_admin_request("turn image generation back on now") == (
         "manage_settings",
-        json.dumps({"action": "enable_tool", "tool": "images"}),
+        json.dumps({"action": "list_tools"}),
     )
     assert al._parse_qwen_explicit_admin_request("list API tokens by name and prefix only") == (
         "manage_tokens",