# browser_snapshot

Get a compact accessibility snapshot of the current browser tab. Prefer refs from this snapshot for browser_click, browser_fill, browser_type, browser_get_text, browser_hover, browser_drag, and browser_upload_file.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `browser_snapshot`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-snapshot

## Facts

- Tool: `browser_snapshot`
- Server: CoWork OS (`CoWork-OS/CoWork-OS`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/CoWork-OS/CoWork-OS
- 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": "browser_snapshot",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why browser_snapshot is rated Low

This tool retrieves and queries browser state (accessibility snapshot) without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing anything. It is a pure information-gathering operation with no side effects, fitting squarely into the Read category. The low severity reflects that misuse would only expose what is already visible on the current tab.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool description states it 'Get[s] a compact accessibility snapshot' with no modification, deletion, or execution capabilities mentioned. The snapshot is used to inform subsequent browser actions but itself only retrieves data."

## Use case

AI agents call browser_snapshot to retrieve information from CoWork OS 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 CoWork OS:

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

## Other tools on CoWork OS (341)

- `cancel_agent` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/cancel-agent.md
- `cancel_video_generation_job` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/cancel-video-generation-job.md
- `cloud_sandbox_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/cloud-sandbox-delete.md
- `delete_file` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/delete-file.md
- `disable_macos_launch_agents` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/disable-macos-launch-agents.md
- `domain_dns_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/domain-dns-delete.md
- `google-workspace.calendar_event_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/google-workspace.calendar-event-delete.md
- `google-workspace.slides_delete_slide` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/google-workspace.slides-delete-slide.md
- `google-workspace.tasks_clear_completed` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/google-workspace.tasks-clear-completed.md
- `google-workspace.tasks_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/google-workspace.tasks-delete.md
- `google-workspace.tasks_lists_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/google-workspace.tasks-lists-delete.md
- `kg_delete_edge` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/kg-delete-edge.md
- `kg_delete_entity` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/kg-delete-entity.md
- `skill_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/skill-delete.md
- `supermemory_forget` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/supermemory-forget.md
- `blender.render_view` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/blender.render-view.md
- `browser_act_batch` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-act-batch.md
- `browser_attach` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-attach.md
- `browser_back` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-back.md
- `browser_click` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-click.md
- `browser_close` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-close.md
- `browser_close_tab` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-close-tab.md
- `browser_drag` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-drag.md
- `browser_emulate` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-emulate.md
- `browser_evaluate` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-evaluate.md
- `browser_fill` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-fill.md
- `browser_forward` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-forward.md
- `browser_handle_dialog` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-handle-dialog.md
- `browser_hover` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-hover.md
- `browser_navigate` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-navigate.md
- …and 311 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os.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=cowork-os · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/cowork-os