This record as markdown: /tools/git/git-log.md
What git_log does on Git
AI agents call git_log to retrieve information from Git without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
Why git_log is rated Low
git_log queries and displays existing commit history with no side effects. It does not create, modify, delete, or execute code. Even if an AI agent misuses it by logging excessive history or causing performance issues, the blast radius is minimal because the operation cannot damage data or execute arbitrary code.
From the tool's definition Tool name is 'git_log' and description states 'Show commit history' — this is a read-only operation that retrieves and displays historical commit information without modifying the repository.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs git_log safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Git, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For git_log, this is the rule to start with:
git_log 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 Git, apply this rule, and every git_log call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about git_log
Show commit history. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Git MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Git MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for git_log: 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 Git. Nothing to install.
git_log 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 git_log 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 git_log. 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.
git_log is provided by the Git MCP server (@modelcontextprotocol/server-git). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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