# list_hosts

List all allowed SSH hosts with metadata (labels, roles, description).

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `list_hosts`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/list-hosts

## Facts

- Tool: `list_hosts`
- Server: SSH MCP Server (`bhayanak/ssh-mcp-server`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/bhayanak/ssh-mcp-server
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- 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_hosts",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why list_hosts is rated Low

This tool retrieves and enumerates SSH host metadata (labels, roles, descriptions) with no side effects. It is purely informational—no data is created, modified, deleted, or executed. While it may expose organizational infrastructure details, the read-only nature and low blast radius from misuse classify it as Read/low severity.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool name 'list_hosts' and description 'List all allowed SSH hosts with metadata' indicate a query operation that retrieves information without modification or execution."

## Use case

AI agents call list_hosts to retrieve information from SSH MCP Server 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 SSH MCP Server:

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

## Other tools on SSH MCP Server (22)

- `cancel_background_job` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/cancel-background-job.md
- `remove_ssh_key` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/remove-ssh-key.md
- `revoke_cert` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/revoke-cert.md
- `sftp_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/sftp-delete.md
- `approve_request` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/approve-request.md
- `request_approval` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/request-approval.md
- `run_ssh_command` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/run-ssh-command.md
- `run_ssh_command_background` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/run-ssh-command-background.md
- `ssh_connect` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/ssh-connect.md
- `get_audit_logs` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/get-audit-logs.md
- `get_host_facts` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/get-host-facts.md
- `list_background_jobs` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/list-background-jobs.md
- `list_pending_approvals` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/list-pending-approvals.md
- `list_templates` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/list-templates.md
- `poll_background_job` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/poll-background-job.md
- `sftp_list_directory` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/sftp-list-directory.md
- `ssh_list_sessions` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/ssh-list-sessions.md
- `ssh_session_ping` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/ssh-session-ping.md
- `add_ssh_key` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/add-ssh-key.md
- `issue_cert` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/issue-cert.md
- `ssh_disconnect` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/ssh-disconnect.md
- `transfer_file` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/transfer-file.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`

---

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