RunAdbShell

SERVERAndroid SOURCE@midscene/android-mcp

High RISK CLASS

Category Execute

Parameters 71 required

Recommended Rate-limitedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity unverified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/android/runadbshell.md

WHAT IT DOES

What RunAdbShell does on Android

AI agents invoke RunAdbShell to trigger actions in Android. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call: builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`command`	string	Yes	ADB shell command to execute
`android.deviceId`	string	—	Android device ID (from adb devices)
`android.useScrcpy`	boolean	—	Enable scrcpy accelerated screenshots
`android.aiActContext`	string	—	Background knowledge passed to aiAct. Default: no extra context.
`android.waitAfterAction`	number	—	Wait time in milliseconds after each action execution. Default: 300ms.
`android.replanningCycleLimit`	integer	—	Maximum number of replanning cycles for aiAct. Default: model adapter default.
`android.screenshotShrinkFactor`	number	—	Screenshot shrink factor before sending images to AI. Default: 1; high values may reduce recognition quality, especially on mobile.

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

RISK

Why RunAdbShell is rated High

This tool executes arbitrary shell commands on an Android device via ADB, which is the Execute category. The severity is critical because unrestricted shell command execution can lead to complete device compromise, data exfiltration, malware installation, or lateral movement.

From the tool's definition Tool explicitly states it 'Execute[s] an ADB shell command on the Android device' with a command parameter accepting arbitrary ADB shell commands. ADB shell provides full shell access to the Android device.

Risk signalsAccepts freeform code/query input (command)

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs RunAdbShell safely

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

RunAdbShell Rate-limited

RunAdbShell stays usable, but rate-capped: a runaway agent can't fire it dozens of times a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "RunAdbShell": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "runadbshell_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

RATE-LIMIT THIS TOOL → Instant setup, no code required.

The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Android, apply this rule, and every RunAdbShell call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about RunAdbShell

What does the RunAdbShell tool do? +

RunAdbShell action, Execute an ADB shell command on the Android device and return the command stdout. Read the returned stdout to decide the next step; the stdout may indicate either success or failure.. Parameters: command (string) - ADB shell command to execute. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Android MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

What parameters does RunAdbShell accept? +

RunAdbShell accepts 7 parameters: command, android.deviceId, android.useScrcpy, android.aiActContext, android.waitAfterAction, android.replanningCycleLimit, android.screenshotShrinkFactor. Required: command. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.

How do I enforce a policy on RunAdbShell? +

Register the Android MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for RunAdbShell: 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 Android. Nothing to install.

What risk level is RunAdbShell? +

RunAdbShell is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.

Can I rate-limit RunAdbShell? +

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

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

RunAdbShell is provided by the Android MCP server (@midscene/android-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

KEEP EXPLORING

More on Android, and thousands of servers like it.

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All 23 Android tools → High-risk tools on this server →

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