# 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.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `read_attachment`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-agenticemail-mcp/read-attachment

## Facts

- Tool: `read_attachment`
- Server: AgenticEmail (`https://api.agenticemail.dev/mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-agenticemail-mcp.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/https://api.agenticemail.dev/mcp
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade B, identity unverified
- Server auth posture: gated
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 3 (3 required)
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `inbox_id` | string | yes |  |
| `message_id` | string | yes |  |
| `attachment_id` | string | yes |  |

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "read_attachment",
    "arguments": {
      "inbox_id": "<inbox_id>",
      "message_id": "<message_id>",
      "attachment_id": "<attachment_id>"
    }
  }
}
```

## 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 own 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."

## Use case

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.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches AgenticEmail:

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

## Other tools on AgenticEmail (8)

- `get_message` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-agenticemail-mcp/get-message.md
- `get_thread` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-agenticemail-mcp/get-thread.md
- `list_inboxes` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-agenticemail-mcp/list-inboxes.md
- `list_messages` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-agenticemail-mcp/list-messages.md
- `list_threads` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-agenticemail-mcp/list-threads.md
- `create_inbox` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-agenticemail-mcp/create-inbox.md
- `reply_to_message` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-agenticemail-mcp/reply-to-message.md
- `send_message` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-agenticemail-mcp/send-message.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`

---

Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=dev-agenticemail-mcp · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/dev-agenticemail-mcp