# signal_read_messages Reads messages from a specific Signal chat. The chat_id must come from a previous signal_list_chats call. Returns messages in chronological order with sender phone numbers and body text. Only messages cached locally by Signal Desktop are available. Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `signal_read_messages`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/signal-read-messages ## Facts - Tool: `signal_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: 2 (1 required) - Recommended policy verdict: Allowed ## Parameters | Parameter | Type | Required | Description | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `limit` | integer | no | Max messages to return (default 50) | | `chat_id` | string | yes | Chat ID from signal_list_chats | 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": "signal_read_messages", "arguments": { "chat_id": "" } } } ``` ## Why signal_read_messages is rated Low This is a read operation that retrieves cached Signal messages locally. While the category is Read (no side effects), the severity is high because Signal messages often contain sensitive personal communications, authentication codes, and private data. Unauthorized access by a compromised AI agent could expose significant personal information, even though the operation itself is non-destructive. From the tool's own definition: "Tool name 'signal_read_messages' and description explicitly states it 'Reads messages from a specific Signal chat' and 'Returns messages in chronological order with sender phone numbers and body text.' No modification, deletion, or execution capability is…" ## Use case AI agents call signal_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": { "signal_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` --- 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