list_active_workflows

List all currently active workflows. Returns information about workflows that are currently executing, including their current step and progress.

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/list-active-workflows.md

WHAT IT DOES

What list_active_workflows does on AWS

AI agents call list_active_workflows 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 list_active_workflows is rated Low

This tool queries and returns data about active workflows without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing any operations. It is purely informational/observational in nature, making it a Read category tool with low severity risk.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'list_active_workflows' and description 'List all currently active workflows' and 'Returns information about workflows that are currently executing' indicate a retrieval operation with no side effects.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs list_active_workflows 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 list_active_workflows, this is the rule to start with:

list_active_workflows Allowed

list_active_workflows 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": {
    "list_active_workflows": {}
  }
}

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 list_active_workflows call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about list_active_workflows

What does the list_active_workflows tool do? +

List all currently active workflows. Returns information about workflows that are currently executing, including their current step and progress. 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 list_active_workflows? +

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

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

Can I rate-limit list_active_workflows? +

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

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

list_active_workflows 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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