# read_messages

Reads messages from an iMessage conversation by chat ID or contact name.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `read_messages`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/read-messages

## Facts

- Tool: `read_messages`
- Server: Local (`local-mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp.md
- Install: `npx -y local-mcp`
- Homepage: https://github.com/lanchuske/local-mcp
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server auth posture: open
- Server CORS policy: *
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 3
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `limit` | integer | no | Max messages (default 50) |
| `chat_id` | string | no | Chat identifier from list_message_chats |
| `contact_name` | string | no | Contact name substring (alternative to chat_id) |

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "read_messages",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why read_messages is rated Low

This tool retrieves message content from iMessage conversations without modifying, deleting, or executing anything. However, severity is elevated to medium rather than low because iMessage conversations often contain sensitive personal communications, private information, and potentially confidential data. An AI agent with unrestricted access could exfiltrate large volumes of private messages.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool name is 'read_messages' and description states it 'Reads messages from an iMessage conversation by chat ID or contact name.' The verb 'Reads' and the passive nature (retrieves data without modification) clearly indicate a Read operation."

## Use case

AI agents call read_messages to retrieve information from Local 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 Local:

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

## Other tools on Local (233)

- `delete_calendar_event` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/delete-calendar-event.md
- `delete_reminder` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/delete-reminder.md
- `delete_reminder_list` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/delete-reminder-list.md
- `m365_delete_event` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/m365-delete-event.md
- `onedrive_delete_file` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/onedrive-delete-file.md
- `recipe_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/recipe-delete.md
- `chrome_click` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/chrome-click.md
- `chrome_evaluate_js` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/chrome-evaluate-js.md
- `chrome_fill_form` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/chrome-fill-form.md
- `chrome_go_back` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/chrome-go-back.md
- `chrome_navigate` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/chrome-navigate.md
- `chrome_type` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/chrome-type.md
- `chrome_wait_for` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/chrome-wait-for.md
- `nordvpn_diagnose` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/nordvpn-diagnose.md
- `notion_open_page` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/notion-open-page.md
- `recipe_run` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/recipe-run.md
- `run_diagnostics` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/run-diagnostics.md
- `run_terminal_command` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/run-terminal-command.md
- `safari_click` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/safari-click.md
- `safari_evaluate_js` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/safari-evaluate-js.md
- `safari_fill_form` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/safari-fill-form.md
- `safari_go_back` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/safari-go-back.md
- `safari_navigate` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/safari-navigate.md
- `safari_query_selector_all` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/safari-query-selector-all.md
- `safari_type` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/safari-type.md
- `safari_wait_for` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/safari-wait-for.md
- `screen_record_start` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/screen-record-start.md
- `screen_record_stop` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/screen-record-stop.md
- `setup_install` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/setup-install.md
- `ui_click` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/ui-click.md
- …and 203 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp.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`

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