# list_canaries

List all CloudWatch Synthetics canaries in the account. Use this tool to discover canaries before analyzing them with analyze_canary_failures(). Returns canary names, status, schedule, runtime version, and last run state. Args: region: AWS region to query (defaults to configured region). max_results: Maximum number of canaries to display (default: 20, max: 200). Returns: Formatted list of all canaries with their current status and configuration.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `list_canaries`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/list-canaries

## Facts

- Tool: `list_canaries`
- Server: AWS (`@awslabs/mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws.md
- Install: `npx -y @awslabs/mcp`
- Homepage: https://github.com/awslabs/mcp
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity verified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 0
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "list_canaries",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why list_canaries is rated Low

This tool retrieves monitoring configuration data from AWS CloudWatch Synthetics without modifying, executing, or deleting anything. It is purely informational, used to discover canaries before analysis. The blast radius of misuse is limited to information disclosure about monitoring infrastructure.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool name 'list_canaries' and description 'List all CloudWatch Synthetics canaries in the account' with return value 'Formatted list of all canaries with their current status and configuration' indicates a query/list operation with no side effects."

## Use case

AI agents call list_canaries 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.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches AWS:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "list_canaries": {}
  }
}
```

## Other tools on AWS (299)

- `bulk_delete_by_criteria` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/bulk-delete-by-criteria.md
- `cache_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/cache-delete.md
- `cache_delete_many` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/cache-delete-many.md
- `cache_delete_multi` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/cache-delete-multi.md
- `cache_flush_all` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/cache-flush-all.md
- `delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete.md
- `delete_access_key` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-access-key.md
- `delete_datastore` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-datastore.md
- `delete_group` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-group.md
- `delete_image_set` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-image-set.md
- `delete_instance_in_series` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-instance-in-series.md
- `delete_instance_in_study` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-instance-in-study.md
- `delete_patient_studies` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-patient-studies.md
- `delete_resource` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-resource.md
- `delete_role_policy` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-role-policy.md
- `delete_series_by_uid` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-series-by-uid.md
- `delete_study` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-study.md
- `delete_user` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-user.md
- `delete_user_policy` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-user-policy.md
- `detach_user_policy` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/detach-user-policy.md
- `json_arrtrim` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/json-arrtrim.md
- `json_clear` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/json-clear.md
- `json_del` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/json-del.md
- `list_pop_left` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/list-pop-left.md
- `list_trim` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/list-trim.md
- `remove_instance_from_image_set` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/remove-instance-from-image-set.md
- `remove_series_from_image_set` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/remove-series-from-image-set.md
- `set_pop` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/set-pop.md
- `sorted_set_remove_by_lex` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/sorted-set-remove-by-lex.md
- `sorted_set_remove_by_score` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/sorted-set-remove-by-score.md
- …and 269 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/aws.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

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Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=aws · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/aws