read_attachment
Read an attachment as structured content: PDFs are converted to markdown (scanned pages are flagged via pages_needing_ocr), text attachments are returned as-is. Binary types (images, archives, office docs) are not supported - download those via the REST attachment endpoint.
This record as markdown: /tools/dev-agenticemail-mcp/read-attachment.md
What read_attachment does on AgenticEmail
AI agents call read_attachment to retrieve information from AgenticEmail without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
inbox_id | string | Yes | |
message_id | string | Yes | |
attachment_id | string | Yes |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why read_attachment is rated Low
This tool retrieves and queries attachment data without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing anything. It is purely informational—converting file formats for readability. The most severe action possible is reading email attachments, which has minimal blast radius if misused by an AI agent (exposure of email content that the agent already has authorization to access).
From the tool's definition Tool name is 'read_attachment' and description states it 'Read[s] an attachment as structured content' with no modification or deletion capabilities. It retrieves and converts attachment data (PDFs to markdown, text as-is) for reading purposes only.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs read_attachment safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and AgenticEmail, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For read_attachment, this is the rule to start with:
read_attachment 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 AgenticEmail, apply this rule, and every read_attachment call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about read_attachment
Read an attachment as structured content: PDFs are converted to markdown (scanned pages are flagged via pages_needing_ocr), text attachments are returned as-is. Binary types (images, archives, office docs) are not supported - download those via the REST attachment endpoint. It is categorised as a Read tool in the AgenticEmail MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
read_attachment accepts 3 parameters: inbox_id, message_id, attachment_id. Required: inbox_id, message_id, attachment_id. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the AgenticEmail MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for read_attachment: 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 AgenticEmail. Nothing to install.
read_attachment 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 read_attachment 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 read_attachment. 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.
read_attachment is provided by the AgenticEmail MCP server (https://api.agenticemail.dev/mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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