AI agents call list_memories to retrieve information from Project Tessera without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool performs a straightforward enumeration of existing memory records. It has no destructive, financial, or execution properties—it merely queries and presents data. The blast radius of misuse is minimal; an attacker could discover what memories exist but cannot alter, delete, or execute anything.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'list_memories' and description 'List saved memory files' indicate a query operation that retrieves and returns information without modification or side effects.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access list_memories gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Project Tessera, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for list_memories:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"list_memories": {}
}
}list_memories is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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List saved memory files. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Project Tessera MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Project Tessera MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_memories: 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 Project Tessera. Nothing to install.
list_memories is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the list_memories 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.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for list_memories. 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.
list_memories is provided by the Project Tessera MCP server (besslframework-stack/project-tessera). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Project Tessera, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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43 Project Tessera tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.