list_gists

List gists for a user

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-gists.md

WHAT IT DOES

What list_gists does on GitHub

AI agents call list_gists 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
`page`	number	—	Page number for pagination (min 1)
`since`	string	—	Only gists updated after this time (ISO 8601 timestamp)
`perPage`	number	—	Results per page for pagination (min 1, max 100)
`username`	string	—	GitHub username (omit for authenticated user's gists)

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

RISK

Why list_gists is rated Low

This tool queries and retrieves gist data for a user, which is a read-only operation. There are no side effects, data modification, code execution, or financial implications. The blast radius is minimal as it only exposes already-public or user-owned gist metadata.

From the tool's definition Tool name is 'list_gists' and description states 'List gists for a user' - this is a retrieval operation with no modification capability.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs list_gists 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_gists, this is the rule to start with:

list_gists Allowed

list_gists 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_gists": {}
  }
}

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_gists call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about list_gists

What does the list_gists tool do? +

List gists for a user. It is categorised as a Read tool in the GitHub MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

What parameters does list_gists accept? +

list_gists accepts 4 parameters: page, since, perPage, username. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.

How do I enforce a policy on list_gists? +

Register the GitHub MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_gists: 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_gists? +

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

Can I rate-limit list_gists? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the list_gists 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_gists completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for list_gists. 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_gists? +

list_gists 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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