list_scans

List all recent security scans tracked locally with their status.

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-scans.md

WHAT IT DOES

What list_scans does on AWS

AI agents call list_scans 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_scans is rated Low

This tool performs information retrieval without modifying, executing, deleting, or committing any resources. It simply returns a list of existing security scans and their statuses. The read-only nature, local scope, and lack of side effects place it firmly in the Read category with low severity.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'list_scans' and description 'List all recent security scans tracked locally with their status' indicate a read-only operation that retrieves and queries scan data.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

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

list_scans Allowed

list_scans 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_scans": {}
  }
}

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_scans call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about list_scans

What does the list_scans tool do? +

List all recent security scans tracked locally with their status. 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_scans? +

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

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

Can I rate-limit list_scans? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the list_scans 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_scans completely? +

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

list_scans 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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