Low Risk

hash_keys

Get all field names from hash. Args: key: The name of the key Returns: List of field names or error message

How to control hash_keys ↓

What hash_keys does on AWS

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

Low Risk

Why hash_keys needs a policy

This tool performs a read-only query operation that retrieves field names from a hash data structure. It has no side effects, does not modify data, and does not execute code or commands. The minimal blast radius from misuse would be exposure of field names, which is low-severity information disclosure. The high confidence reflects the clear read-only semantics in the description.

From the tool's definition Tool description states 'Get all field names from hash' with return value 'List of field names or error message'. The operation retrieves metadata about a hash structure without modifying, deleting, or executing code.

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access hash_keys gives an agent:

How to control hash_keys

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and AWS, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for hash_keys:

policy.json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "hash_keys": {}
  }
}

hash_keys is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

  1. Create a free account and register AWS — nothing to install.
  2. Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
  3. Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.
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Related tools and policies

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Questions about hash_keys

What does the hash_keys tool do? +

Get all field names from hash. Args: key: The name of the key Returns: List of field names or error message. 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 hash_keys? +

Register the AWS MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for hash_keys: 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 hash_keys? +

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

Can I rate-limit hash_keys? +

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

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

hash_keys 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.

Enforce policy on every AWS tool call.

Start from AWS, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.

Free to start. No card required.

300 AWS tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.

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