get_recent_tool_calls
Get recent tool call history with their arguments and outputs. Returns chronological list of tool calls made during this session. Useful for: - Onboarding new chats about work already done - Recovering context after chat history loss - Debugging tool call sequences Note: Does not track its own ca...
This record as markdown: /tools/desktop-commander/get-recent-tool-calls.md
What get_recent_tool_calls does on Desktop Commander
AI agents call get_recent_tool_calls to retrieve information from Desktop Commander without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
Why get_recent_tool_calls is rated Low
This tool retrieves historical information about prior tool invocations. While it provides access to potentially sensitive information (arguments and outputs from previous tool calls, which may contain file paths, configuration values, or other sensitive data), it is fundamentally a read-only query operation.
From the tool's definition Tool description states it 'Get[s] recent tool call history' and 'Returns chronological list of tool calls made during this session.' These are data retrieval operations with no modification or side effects.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs get_recent_tool_calls safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Desktop Commander, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For get_recent_tool_calls, this is the rule to start with:
get_recent_tool_calls is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Desktop Commander, apply this rule, and every get_recent_tool_calls call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about get_recent_tool_calls
Get recent tool call history with their arguments and outputs. Returns chronological list of tool calls made during this session. Useful for: - Onboarding new chats about work already done - Recovering context after chat history loss - Debugging tool call sequences Note: Does not track its own calls or other meta/query tools. History kept in memory (last 1000 calls, lost on restart). ${CMD_PREFIX_DESCRIPTION}. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Desktop Commander MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Desktop Commander MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_recent_tool_calls: 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 Desktop Commander. Nothing to install.
get_recent_tool_calls is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the get_recent_tool_calls 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.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for get_recent_tool_calls. 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.
get_recent_tool_calls is provided by the Desktop Commander MCP server (wonderwhy-er/DesktopCommanderMCP). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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