ssh-keyscan

Retrieves public host keys from a remote SSH server using

SERVERCargo SOURCEDave-London/Pare

Low RISK CLASS

Category Read

Parameters 00 required

Recommended Allowedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity unverified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/io-github-dave-london-cargo/ssh-keyscan.md

WHAT IT DOES

What ssh-keyscan does on Cargo

AI agents call ssh-keyscan to retrieve information from Cargo without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

RISK

Why ssh-keyscan is rated Low

ssh-keyscan performs passive reconnaissance by querying SSH servers for their public host keys. This is a read operation with no side effects, no code execution, and no data modification. The blast radius is minimal—obtaining public host keys is non-sensitive information already intended for public distribution.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'ssh-keyscan' and description 'Retrieves public host keys from a remote SSH server' indicate a read-only operation that fetches public cryptographic material without modification or execution.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs ssh-keyscan safely

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

ssh-keyscan Allowed

ssh-keyscan 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": {
    "ssh-keyscan": {}
  }
}

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

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

FAQ

Questions about ssh-keyscan

What does the ssh-keyscan tool do? +

Retrieves public host keys from a remote SSH server using. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Cargo MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on ssh-keyscan? +

Register the Cargo MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for ssh-keyscan: 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 Cargo. Nothing to install.

What risk level is ssh-keyscan? +

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

Can I rate-limit ssh-keyscan? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the ssh-keyscan 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 ssh-keyscan completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for ssh-keyscan. 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 ssh-keyscan? +

ssh-keyscan is provided by the Cargo MCP server (Dave-London/Pare). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

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