get_instance_basic_info
Get basic information about a Compute Engine VM instance, including its name, ID, status, machine type, creation timestamp, and attached guest accelerators. Requires project, zone, and instance name as input.
This record as markdown: /tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/get-instance-basic-info.md
What get_instance_basic_info does on Mcp
AI agents call get_instance_basic_info to retrieve information from Mcp without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
name | string | Yes | Required. Identifier. The instance name. |
zone | string | Yes | Required. The zone of the instance. |
project | string | Yes | Required. Project ID for this request. |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why get_instance_basic_info is rated Low
This tool retrieves metadata about an existing Compute Engine instance without side effects. It queries and returns information only, making it a Read operation. The severity is low because access to instance metadata poses minimal risk—it does not expose sensitive credentials or enable further compromise without additional tools, though it could support reconnaissance in a multi-step attack.
From the tool's definition Tool description states it 'Get[s] basic information' about a VM instance, listing only read-only attributes: name, ID, status, machine type, creation timestamp, and guest accelerators. No modification, deletion, or execution capability is mentioned.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs get_instance_basic_info safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Mcp, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For get_instance_basic_info, this is the rule to start with:
get_instance_basic_info is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Mcp, apply this rule, and every get_instance_basic_info call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about get_instance_basic_info
Get basic information about a Compute Engine VM instance, including its name, ID, status, machine type, creation timestamp, and attached guest accelerators. Requires project, zone, and instance name as input. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Mcp MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
get_instance_basic_info accepts 3 parameters: name, zone, project. Required: name, zone, project. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_instance_basic_info: 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 Mcp. Nothing to install.
get_instance_basic_info 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 get_instance_basic_info 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 get_instance_basic_info. 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.
get_instance_basic_info is provided by the MCP server (https://compute.googleapis.com/mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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