Low Risk

type

Returns the string representation of the type of the value stored at key. Args: key (str): The key to check. Returns: str: The type of key, or none when key doesn't exist

How to control type ↓

What type does on AWS

AI agents call type 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 type needs a policy

This tool only retrieves metadata (the type) of a stored value without modifying anything. It's a pure read/query operation with minimal blast radius.

From the tool's definition Returns the string representation of the type of the value stored at key

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

How to control type

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 type:

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

type 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

Go deeper

Questions about type

What does the type tool do? +

Returns the string representation of the type of the value stored at key. Args: key (str): The key to check. Returns: str: The type of key, or none when key doesn't exist. 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 type? +

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

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

Can I rate-limit type? +

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

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

type 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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