get_user

SERVERAWS SOURCE@awslabs/mcp

Low RISK CLASS

Category Read

Parameters 00 required

Recommended Allowedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity verified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/aws/get-user.md

WHAT IT DOES

What get_user does on AWS

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

RISK

Why get_user is rated Low

This tool performs a query/lookup operation on IAM metadata with no side effects. It returns read-only information about user configuration and permissions. While the information retrieved could be sensitive (policies, keys), the tool itself does not create, modify, delete, or execute any actions.

From the tool's definition Tool retrieves comprehensive information about an IAM user including attached policies, group memberships, and access keys. Description explicitly states 'retrieves' and 'Use this to get a complete picture'.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs get_user safely

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

get_user Allowed

get_user 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": {
    "get_user": {}
  }
}

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

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

FAQ

Questions about get_user

What does the get_user tool do? +

Get detailed information about a specific IAM user. This tool retrieves comprehensive information about an IAM user including attached policies, group memberships, and access keys. Use this to get a complete picture of a user's permissions and configuration. ## Usage Tips: - Use this after list_users to get detailed information about specific users - Review attached policies to understand user permissions - Check access keys to identify potential security issues Args: ctx: MCP context for error reporting user_name: The name of the IAM user Returns: UserDetailsResponse containing comprehensive user information. It is categorised as a Read tool in the AWS MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on get_user? +

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

What risk level is get_user? +

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

Can I rate-limit get_user? +

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

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

get_user is provided by the AWS MCP server (@awslabs/mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

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