channel_history

Fetch recent message history for a specific chat from the local gateway message log.

SERVERCoWork OS SOURCECoWork-OS/CoWork-OS

Low RISK CLASS

Category Read

Parameters 00 required

Recommended Allowedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity unverified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/cowork-os/channel-history.md

WHAT IT DOES

What channel_history does on CoWork OS

AI agents call channel_history 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.

RISK

Why channel_history is rated Low

This tool retrieves or queries existing message history from a local log. The verb 'fetch' and the action of retrieving historical records from a message log are classic read operations with no side effects, no data modification, no code execution, and no destructive or financial implications. The local, message-log-based context suggests limited scope.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'channel_history' and description 'Fetch recent message history for a specific chat from the local gateway message log' indicate a query operation that retrieves historical data without modification.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs channel_history safely

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and CoWork OS, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For channel_history, this is the rule to start with:

channel_history Allowed

channel_history is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "channel_history": {}
  }
}

ALLOW ONLY THIS TOOL → Instant setup, no code required.

The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect CoWork OS, apply this rule, and every channel_history call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about channel_history

What does the channel_history tool do? +

Fetch recent message history for a specific chat from the local gateway message log. It is categorised as a Read tool in the CoWork OS MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on channel_history? +

Register the CoWork OS MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for channel_history: 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 CoWork OS. Nothing to install.

What risk level is channel_history? +

channel_history is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.

Can I rate-limit channel_history? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the channel_history 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.

How do I block channel_history completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for channel_history. 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.

What MCP server provides channel_history? +

channel_history is provided by the CoWork OS MCP server (CoWork-OS/CoWork-OS). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

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