AI agents call tides.now to retrieve information from Mcp without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This is a straightforward data retrieval tool that queries NOAA's tide prediction database and returns results based on geographic input. There are no mentions of modification, deletion, execution, or financial operations. The only potential risk is information accuracy, which is minimal for a public weather/oceanographic service.
From the tool's definition Tool retrieves NOAA tide predictions for a location; returns data with no side effects. Description uses past-tense 'predictions' indicating information retrieval rather than modification or execution.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
NOAA tide predictions for the nearest tide station to a coordinate. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Mcp MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for tides.now: 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 Mcp. Nothing to install.
tides.now 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 tides.now 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 tides.now. 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.
tides.now is provided by the MCP server (@2sio/mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Every MCP server has a record like this.
Type a name, get the same breakdown: verified identity, auth posture, risk grade, capabilities, recommended policy.
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