# vm_agent_file_read

Read a file from inside a VM via the guest agent.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `vm_agent_file_read`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/vm-agent-file-read

## Facts

- Tool: `vm_agent_file_read`
- Server: Proxmox MCP Server (`gethosthewalrus/proxmox-mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/GethosTheWalrus/proxmox-mcp
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 0
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

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

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "vm_agent_file_read",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why vm_agent_file_read is rated Low

This tool retrieves file contents from within a virtual machine using the guest agent interface. It has no side effects, creates no modifications, executes no code, and performs no destructive operations. It is a straightforward read operation on VM filesystem data, making it the Read category with low severity since unauthorized file access depends heavily on the sensitivity of the data and existing access controls.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool name contains 'read' and description explicitly states 'Read a file from inside a VM via the guest agent' - indicates file retrieval with no modification or deletion."

## Use case

AI agents call vm_agent_file_read to retrieve information from Proxmox MCP Server 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 Proxmox MCP Server:

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

## Other tools on Proxmox MCP Server (285)

- `convert_container_to_template` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/convert-container-to-template.md
- `convert_vm_to_template` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/convert-vm-to-template.md
- `delete_backup_job` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/delete-backup-job.md
- `delete_cluster_firewall_rule` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/delete-cluster-firewall-rule.md
- `delete_container` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/delete-container.md
- `delete_container_snapshot` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/delete-container-snapshot.md
- `delete_firewall_alias` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/delete-firewall-alias.md
- `delete_firewall_ipset_entry` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/delete-firewall-ipset-entry.md
- `delete_group` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/delete-group.md
- `delete_ha_group` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/delete-ha-group.md
- `delete_ha_resource` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/delete-ha-resource.md
- `delete_pool` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/delete-pool.md
- `delete_replication_job` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/delete-replication-job.md
- `delete_role` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/delete-role.md
- `delete_sdn_vnet` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/delete-sdn-vnet.md
- `delete_sdn_zone` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/delete-sdn-zone.md
- `delete_storage` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/delete-storage.md
- `delete_storage_volume` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/delete-storage-volume.md
- `delete_user` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/delete-user.md
- `delete_user_token` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/delete-user-token.md
- `delete_vm` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/delete-vm.md
- `delete_vm_snapshot` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/delete-vm-snapshot.md
- `initialize_gpt` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/initialize-gpt.md
- `prune_storage_backups` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/prune-storage-backups.md
- `rollback_container_snapshot` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/rollback-container-snapshot.md
- `rollback_vm_snapshot` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/rollback-vm-snapshot.md
- `shutdown_vm` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/shutdown-vm.md
- `stopall_node` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/stopall-node.md
- `apply_sdn_changes` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/apply-sdn-changes.md
- `bulk_migrate_guests` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp/bulk-migrate-guests.md
- …and 255 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp.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=gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/gethosthewalrus-proxmox-mcp