read_clipboard

Read the current text content from the system clipboard.

SERVERDesktop Commander MCP Server SOURCE19miha99/system-monitor-mcp

Low RISK CLASS

Category Read

Parameters 00 required

Recommended Allowedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade D, identity unverified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/19miha99-system-monitor-mcp/read-clipboard.md

WHAT IT DOES

What read_clipboard does on Desktop Commander MCP Server

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

RISK

Why read_clipboard is rated Low

This tool retrieves clipboard content without modifying, executing, or destroying anything. However, severity is medium rather than low because clipboard content may contain sensitive information (passwords, tokens, private keys, personal data) that an uncontrolled agent could exfiltrate. The primary risk is information disclosure, not operational impact.

From the tool's definition Tool name is 'read_clipboard' and description states 'Read the current text content from the system clipboard.' The verb 'Read' and lack of any modification language clearly indicate data retrieval with no side effects.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs read_clipboard safely

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

read_clipboard Allowed

read_clipboard 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": {
    "read_clipboard": {}
  }
}

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

The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Desktop Commander MCP Server, apply this rule, and every read_clipboard call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about read_clipboard

What does the read_clipboard tool do? +

Read the current text content from the system clipboard. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Desktop Commander MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on read_clipboard? +

Register the Desktop Commander MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for read_clipboard: 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 Desktop Commander MCP Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is read_clipboard? +

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

Can I rate-limit read_clipboard? +

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

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

read_clipboard is provided by the Desktop Commander MCP Server MCP server (19miha99/system-monitor-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

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