Low Risk

hygiene_audit

Performs a codebase-level hygiene check for technical debt (TODOs) and waste (empty dirs, orphans).

Accepts file system path (path)

Part of the Ast MCP server. Enforce policies on this tool with Intercept, the open-source MCP proxy.

AI agents call hygiene_audit to retrieve information from Ast without modifying any data. This is common in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows where the agent needs context before taking action. Because read operations don't change state, they are generally safe to allow without restrictions -- but you may still want rate limits to control API costs.

Even though hygiene_audit only reads data, uncontrolled read access can leak sensitive information or rack up API costs. An agent caught in a retry loop could make thousands of calls per minute. A rate limit gives you a safety net without blocking legitimate use.

Read-only tools are safe to allow by default. No rate limit needed unless you want to control costs.

ast.yaml
tools:
  hygiene_audit:
    rules:
      - action: allow

See the full Ast policy for all 13 tools.

Tool Name hygiene_audit
Category Read
MCP Server Ast MCP Server
Risk Level Low

View all 13 tools →

Agents calling read-class tools like hygiene_audit have been implicated in these attack patterns. Read the full case and prevention policy for each:

Browse the full MCP Attack Database →

Other tools in the Read risk category across the catalogue. The same policy patterns (rate-limit, allow) apply to each.

What does the hygiene_audit tool do? +

Performs a codebase-level hygiene check for technical debt (TODOs) and waste (empty dirs, orphans).. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Ast MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on hygiene_audit? +

Add a rule in your Intercept YAML policy under the tools section for hygiene_audit. You can allow, deny, rate-limit, or validate arguments. Then run Intercept as a proxy in front of the Ast MCP server.

What risk level is hygiene_audit? +

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

Can I rate-limit hygiene_audit? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the hygiene_audit rule in your Intercept 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 hygiene_audit completely? +

Set action: deny in the Intercept policy for hygiene_audit. 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 hygiene_audit? +

hygiene_audit is provided by the Ast MCP server (@aiready/ast-mcp-server). Intercept sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policies on Ast

Open source. One binary. Zero dependencies.

npx -y @policylayer/intercept
github.com/policylayer/intercept →
// GET IN TOUCH

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