High-risk tools in VSCode Automation MCP

High severity VSCode Automation MCP MCP Server 24 of 61 tools

24 of the 61 tools in VSCode Automation MCP are classified as high risk. This page profiles those tools specifically, with recommended policy actions and the attack patterns that target them.

Every operation listed below is an action PolicyLayer recommends controlling at the transport layer. Open any tool to see the full profile, risk score, and YAML policy snippet.

Tools at high risk

vscode_execute_command Execute

Execute a VSCode command programmatically. Use this to trigger any command available in the Command Palette.
vscode_execute_script Execute

Execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the VSCode window context (like DevTools console). Has full access to document, window, and all globals. Returns the result as JSON.
vscode_go_to_definition Execute

Trigger Go to Definition (F12) on the current cursor position.
vscode_hover Execute

Hover over an element for a specified duration to trigger hover effects.
vscode_initialize Execute

Initialize the VSCode automation driver. This is called automatically on first tool use, but can be called explicitly to pre-warm the connection.
vscode_trigger_completion Execute

Trigger IntelliSense/code completion (Ctrl+Space) and optionally wait for items.
vscode_trigger_hover Execute

Trigger hover on an element and optionally wait for tooltip to appear. Returns tooltip content if found.
vscode_trigger_signature_help Execute

Trigger signature help (Ctrl+Shift+Space) and get parameter info.
vscode_wait_for_element Execute

Wait for an element to appear or disappear. Useful for waiting for UI updates after actions.
vscode_wait_for_idle Execute

Wait for VSCode to become idle (no pending operations, document ready, no busy indicators).
vscode_dismiss_notification Execute

Dismiss a notification by clicking its close button. Can target by index or message text.
vscode_focus_element Execute

Focus a UI element by CSS selector. Optionally scrolls the element into view first.
vscode_click_element Execute

Click a UI element in VSCode by CSS selector, XPath, accessibility label, or text content. Supports single click, double click, and right click.
vscode_click_menu_item Execute

Click a menu item by its text label.
vscode_drag_drop Execute

Drag an element and drop it onto another element. Useful for reordering tabs, tree items, etc.
vscode_handle_dialog Execute

Handle modal dialogs like InputBox, QuickPick, or confirmation dialogs. Can submit text or dismiss.
vscode_open_context_menu Execute

Open a context menu (right-click menu) on an element.
vscode_open_file Execute

Open a file in the VSCode editor. Optionally navigate to a specific line and column position.
vscode_open_webview Execute

Open a webview panel by its title or command. Webviews are used by extensions for custom UI.
vscode_press_keys Execute

Press keyboard keys or key combinations (e.g.,
vscode_scroll Execute

Scroll an element or the page in a specified direction or to a position (top/bottom).
vscode_select_completion_item Execute

Select and accept a completion item by its label.
vscode_select_quick_pick_item Execute

Select an item from the QuickPick by text or index.
vscode_type_text Execute

Type text into VSCode. Can type into the currently focused element or target a specific input by selector.

Attacks that target this class

High-risk tools in any server share these documented attack patterns. Each links to the full case and the defensive policy.

Destructive Action Autonomy
Runaway Tool Loops
Prompt Injection via Tool Results

High-risk tools in VSCode Automation MCP

Tools at high risk

Attacks that target this class

More on VSCode Automation MCP

Enforce policy on every VSCode Automation MCP tool call.