# fetch_controls

To fetch controls.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `fetch_controls`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/fetch-controls

## Facts

- Tool: `fetch_controls`
- Server: ComplianceCow MCP Server (`compliancecow/cow-mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/ComplianceCow/cow-mcp
- 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": "fetch_controls",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why fetch_controls is rated Low

This tool retrieves compliance controls from the ComplianceCow platform without creating, modifying, or deleting any data. It is a query/retrieval operation with no side effects, making it a Read operation. Severity is low because retrieving compliance control data poses minimal risk even if misused by an AI agent—it would only expose information already accessible to authorized users.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool name 'fetch_controls' and description 'To fetch controls' indicate data retrieval with no modification. The verb 'fetch' is consistent with Read category operations (search, list, get, fetch)."

## Use case

AI agents call fetch_controls to retrieve information from ComplianceCow 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 ComplianceCow MCP Server:

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

## Other tools on ComplianceCow MCP Server (208)

- `delete_asset_schedule` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/delete-asset-schedule.md
- `create_sql_query_evidence` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/create-sql-query-evidence.md
- `execute_action` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/execute-action.md
- `execute_cypher_query` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/execute-cypher-query.md
- `execute_rule` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/execute-rule.md
- `execute_shell_command` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/execute-shell-command.md
- `execute_task` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/execute-task.md
- `prepare_applications_for_execution` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/prepare-applications-for-execution.md
- `run_metrics_assessment` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/run-metrics-assessment.md
- `schedule_asset_execution` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/schedule-asset-execution.md
- `trigger_workflow` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/trigger-workflow.md
- `validate_sql_query` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/validate-sql-query.md
- `validate_sql_query_and_cel` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/validate-sql-query-and-cel.md
- `collect_parameter_input` — Other — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/collect-parameter-input.md
- `confirm_parameter_input` — Other — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/confirm-parameter-input.md
- `confirm_template_input` — Other — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/confirm-template-input.md
- `create_metric_sql_query_evidence` — Other — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/create-metric-sql-query-evidence.md
- `create_workflow_custom_event` — Other — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/create-workflow-custom-event.md
- `generate_design_notes_preview` — Other — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/generate-design-notes-preview.md
- `generate_rule_readme_preview` — Other — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/generate-rule-readme-preview.md
- `modify_workflow` — Other — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/modify-workflow.md
- `publish_application` — Other — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/publish-application.md
- `audit_fetch_assessment_run_details` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/audit-fetch-assessment-run-details.md
- `audit_fetch_assessment_run_leaf_control_evidence` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/audit-fetch-assessment-run-leaf-control-evidence.md
- `audit_fetch_assessment_runs` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/audit-fetch-assessment-runs.md
- `audit_fetch_evidence_records` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/audit-fetch-evidence-records.md
- `audit_get_uses_by_ids` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/audit-get-uses-by-ids.md
- `audit_list_all_assessment_categories` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/audit-list-all-assessment-categories.md
- `audit_list_all_assessments` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/audit-list-all-assessments.md
- `audit_list_assessment_control_configs` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-mcp/audit-list-assessment-control-configs.md
- …and 178 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/compliancecow-cow-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=compliancecow-cow-mcp · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/compliancecow-cow-mcp