# gcp_compute_list_instances

List all Compute Engine VM instances in a zone

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `gcp_compute_list_instances`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-compute-list-instances

## Facts

- Tool: `gcp_compute_list_instances`
- Server: GCP MCP Server (`ahmedselimmansor-ctrl/gcp_mcp_server`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl/GCP_MCP_server
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 0
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "gcp_compute_list_instances",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why gcp_compute_list_instances is rated Low

This tool queries and retrieves information about existing VM instances without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing anything. It has minimal blast radius even if misused by an AI agent, as listing instances only reveals metadata about infrastructure already deployed.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool name includes 'list' and description states 'List all Compute Engine VM instances' — a pure retrieval operation with no modification or side effects."

## Use case

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

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches GCP MCP Server:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "gcp_compute_list_instances": {}
  }
}
```

## Other tools on GCP MCP Server (294)

- `gcp_agent_delete_app` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-agent-delete-app.md
- `gcp_agent_delete_data_store` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-agent-delete-data-store.md
- `gcp_agent_delete_endpoint` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-agent-delete-endpoint.md
- `gcp_agent_delete_model` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-agent-delete-model.md
- `gcp_agent_delete_reasoning_engine` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-agent-delete-reasoning-engine.md
- `gcp_appengine_delete_service` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-appengine-delete-service.md
- `gcp_appengine_delete_version` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-appengine-delete-version.md
- `gcp_ar_delete_package` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-ar-delete-package.md
- `gcp_ar_delete_repository` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-ar-delete-repository.md
- `gcp_ar_delete_version` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-ar-delete-version.md
- `gcp_bq_delete_dataset` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-bq-delete-dataset.md
- `gcp_bq_delete_table` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-bq-delete-table.md
- `gcp_compute_delete_disk` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-compute-delete-disk.md
- `gcp_compute_delete_instance` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-compute-delete-instance.md
- `gcp_compute_delete_snapshot` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-compute-delete-snapshot.md
- `gcp_compute_detach_disk` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-compute-detach-disk.md
- `gcp_dns_delete_managed_zone` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-dns-delete-managed-zone.md
- `gcp_dns_delete_record_set` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-dns-delete-record-set.md
- `gcp_firestore_delete_document` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-firestore-delete-document.md
- `gcp_functions_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-functions-delete.md
- `gcp_gke_delete_cluster` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-gke-delete-cluster.md
- `gcp_gke_delete_node_pool` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-gke-delete-node-pool.md
- `gcp_iam_delete_custom_role` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-iam-delete-custom-role.md
- `gcp_iam_delete_service_account` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-iam-delete-service-account.md
- `gcp_iam_delete_service_account_key` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-iam-delete-service-account-key.md
- `gcp_iam_remove_iam_binding` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-iam-remove-iam-binding.md
- `gcp_lb_delete_backend_service` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-lb-delete-backend-service.md
- `gcp_lb_delete_forwarding_rule` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-lb-delete-forwarding-rule.md
- `gcp_lb_delete_target_pool` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-lb-delete-target-pool.md
- `gcp_logging_delete_log` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-logging-delete-log.md
- …and 264 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

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Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server