find
Finds files and directories using fd with structured output. Returns file paths, names, and extensions.
This record as markdown: /tools/io-github-dave-london-github/find.md
What find does on Github
AI agents call find 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.
Why find is rated Low
This is a passive search/discovery operation analogous to listing files. It queries the filesystem for matching files but does not create, modify, delete, or execute anything. The output is structured metadata about existing files. This represents minimal security risk unless the returned paths could be misused downstream, but the tool itself performs only Read operations.
From the tool's definition Tool 'find' described as finding 'files and directories' and returning 'file paths, names, and extensions' - purely informational retrieval with no modification or side effects.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs find 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 find, this is the rule to start with:
find 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 Github, apply this rule, and every find call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about find
Finds files and directories using fd with structured output. Returns file paths, names, and extensions. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Github MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Github MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for find: 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.
find 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 find 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 find. 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.
find is provided by the Github MCP server (@paretools/github). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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