list_dependabot_alerts

List dependabot alerts in a GitHub repository.

SERVERGitHub SOURCEoci:ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:1.3.0

Low RISK CLASS

Category Read

Parameters 40 required

Recommended Allowedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade D, identity verified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/github/list-dependabot-alerts.md

WHAT IT DOES

What list_dependabot_alerts does on GitHub

AI agents call list_dependabot_alerts to retrieve information from GitHub 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
`repo`	string	—	The name of the repository.
`owner`	string	—	The owner of the repository.
`state`	string	—	Filter dependabot alerts by state. Defaults to open
`severity`	string	—	Filter dependabot alerts by severity

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

RISK

Why list_dependabot_alerts is rated Low

This tool retrieves and queries existing Dependabot security alerts from a repository. It performs a read-only operation with no side effects, modifications, or destructive actions. The severity is low because viewing alerts poses minimal risk—the information is already present in the repository and no action is taken.

From the tool's definition Tool is named 'list_dependabot_alerts' and described as 'List dependabot alerts in a GitHub repository.' The verb 'list' indicates data retrieval without modification.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs list_dependabot_alerts safely

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and GitHub, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For list_dependabot_alerts, this is the rule to start with:

list_dependabot_alerts Allowed

list_dependabot_alerts is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "list_dependabot_alerts": {}
  }
}

ALLOW ONLY THIS TOOL → Instant setup, no code required.

The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect GitHub, apply this rule, and every list_dependabot_alerts call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about list_dependabot_alerts

What does the list_dependabot_alerts tool do? +

List dependabot alerts in a GitHub repository. It is categorised as a Read tool in the GitHub MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

What parameters does list_dependabot_alerts accept? +

list_dependabot_alerts accepts 4 parameters: repo, owner, state, severity. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.

How do I enforce a policy on list_dependabot_alerts? +

Register the GitHub MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_dependabot_alerts: 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 GitHub. Nothing to install.

What risk level is list_dependabot_alerts? +

list_dependabot_alerts is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.

Can I rate-limit list_dependabot_alerts? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the list_dependabot_alerts 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.

How do I block list_dependabot_alerts completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for list_dependabot_alerts. 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.

What MCP server provides list_dependabot_alerts? +

list_dependabot_alerts is provided by the GitHub MCP server (oci:ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:1.3.0). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

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