take_screenshot

Take a screenshot of the screen and save it to the workspace

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/take-screenshot.md

WHAT IT DOES

What take_screenshot does on CoWork OS

AI agents call take_screenshot 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 take_screenshot is rated Low

Screenshot capture retrieves visual data from the display and saves it locally. While it accesses display content, it does not modify data, execute code, trigger external services, delete anything, or commit financial obligations. This is a straightforward data retrieval operation with minimal security impact in isolation. Confidence is high because the functionality is unambiguous.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'take_screenshot' and description 'Take a screenshot of the screen and save it to the workspace' - performs image capture and storage without modifying, deleting, or executing external operations.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs take_screenshot 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 take_screenshot, this is the rule to start with:

take_screenshot Allowed

take_screenshot 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": {
    "take_screenshot": {}
  }
}

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 take_screenshot call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about take_screenshot

What does the take_screenshot tool do? +

Take a screenshot of the screen and save it to the workspace. 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 take_screenshot? +

Register the CoWork OS MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for take_screenshot: 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 take_screenshot? +

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

Can I rate-limit take_screenshot? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the take_screenshot 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 take_screenshot completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for take_screenshot. 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 take_screenshot? +

take_screenshot 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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