AI agents call list_plugins to retrieve information from Pentest Ai without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves and displays information about installed plugins from a directory without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing anything. It is a simple informational query, fitting squarely within the Read category. Severity is low because the blast radius is confined to information disclosure of plugin metadata, which does not directly impact system security or functionality.
From the tool's definition Tool description explicitly states 'List installed YAML plugins' — a retrieval/query operation with no modification or execution. The action is read-only enumeration of local plugin configurations.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access list_plugins gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Pentest Ai, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for list_plugins:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"list_plugins": {}
}
}list_plugins is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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List installed YAML plugins from ~/.pentest-ai/plugins/. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Pentest Ai MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Pentest Ai MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_plugins: 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 Pentest Ai. Nothing to install.
list_plugins is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the list_plugins 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 list_plugins. 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.
list_plugins is provided by the Pentest Ai MCP server (0xsteph/pentest-ai). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 51 Pentest Ai tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
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51 Pentest Ai tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.