list-emails

Search emails in Gmail. Returns: array with id, threadId only (no content/labels). Use when: finding emails to get IDs for other operations. Note: retrieve full content with get-email per ID.

SERVERMCP Google Workspace SOURCE199-mcp/mcp-google

Low RISK CLASS

Category Read

Parameters 00 required

Recommended Allowedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity unverified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/199-biotechnologies-mcp-google/list-emails.md

WHAT IT DOES

What list-emails does on MCP Google Workspace

AI agents call list-emails to retrieve information from MCP Google Workspace without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

RISK

Why list-emails is rated Low

This tool performs a search/list operation that retrieves email identifiers and thread IDs for the purpose of identifying emails for subsequent operations. It has no side effects, does not modify or delete data, and only queries existing information. This is a classic Read operation with low blast radius even if misused by an AI agent, as it merely discovers data rather than acting upon it.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'list-emails' and description states 'Search emails in Gmail. Returns: array with id, threadId only (no content/labels).' The tool retrieves email metadata without modifying, deleting, or executing actions.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs list-emails safely

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and MCP Google Workspace, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For list-emails, this is the rule to start with:

list-emails Allowed

list-emails is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "list-emails": {}
  }
}

ALLOW ONLY THIS TOOL → Instant setup, no code required.

The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect MCP Google Workspace, apply this rule, and every list-emails call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about list-emails

What does the list-emails tool do? +

Search emails in Gmail. Returns: array with id, threadId only (no content/labels). Use when: finding emails to get IDs for other operations. Note: retrieve full content with get-email per ID. It is categorised as a Read tool in the MCP Google Workspace MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on list-emails? +

Register the MCP Google Workspace MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list-emails: 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 MCP Google Workspace. Nothing to install.

What risk level is list-emails? +

list-emails is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.

Can I rate-limit list-emails? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the list-emails 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 list-emails completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for list-emails. 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 list-emails? +

list-emails is provided by the MCP Google Workspace MCP server (199-mcp/mcp-google). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

KEEP EXPLORING

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