PRIMARY orientation tool — call first in every new session, after reconnect, or when unsure. Lists all tabs with IDs, URLs, state. Use returned IDs to navigate to an existing tab instead of opening duplicates. Cheap, call liberally.
Bulk/mass operation — affects multiple targets
Part of the Chrome MCP server. Enforce policies on this tool with Intercept, the open-source MCP proxy.
AI agents call virtual_desk to retrieve information from Chrome without modifying any data. This is common in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows where the agent needs context before taking action. Because read operations don't change state, they are generally safe to allow without restrictions -- but you may still want rate limits to control API costs.
Even though virtual_desk only reads data, uncontrolled read access can leak sensitive information or rack up API costs. An agent caught in a retry loop could make thousands of calls per minute. A rate limit gives you a safety net without blocking legitimate use.
Read-only tools are safe to allow by default. No rate limit needed unless you want to control costs.
tools:
virtual_desk:
rules:
- action: allowSee the full Chrome policy for all 23 tools.
Agents calling read-class tools like virtual_desk have been implicated in these attack patterns. Read the full case and prevention policy for each:
Other tools in the Read risk category across the catalogue. The same policy patterns (rate-limit, allow) apply to each.
PRIMARY orientation tool — call first in every new session, after reconnect, or when unsure. Lists all tabs with IDs, URLs, state. Use returned IDs to navigate to an existing tab instead of opening duplicates. Cheap, call liberally.. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Chrome MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Add a rule in your Intercept YAML policy under the tools section for virtual_desk. You can allow, deny, rate-limit, or validate arguments. Then run Intercept as a proxy in front of the Chrome MCP server.
virtual_desk 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 virtual_desk rule in your Intercept 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 Intercept policy for virtual_desk. 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.
virtual_desk is provided by the Chrome MCP server (@silbercue/chrome). Intercept sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Open source. One binary. Zero dependencies.
npx -y @policylayer/intercept