trivy
Runs Trivy vulnerability/misconfiguration scanner on container images, filesystems, or IaC configs. Returns structured vulnerability data with severity summary.
This record as markdown: /tools/io-github-dave-london-github/trivy.md
What trivy does on Github
AI agents invoke trivy to trigger actions in Github. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call: builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.
Why trivy is rated High
This tool executes an external scanning process (Trivy) against specified targets. It triggers an external operation whose effects depend on arguments (what image/filesystem/config is scanned). It is read-like in intent (returns vulnerability data) but qualifies as Execute because it runs an external tool/command.
From the tool's definition 'Runs Trivy vulnerability/misconfiguration scanner on container images, filesystems, or IaC configs'
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs trivy 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 trivy, this is the rule to start with:
trivy stays usable, but rate-capped: a runaway agent can't fire it dozens of times a minute. 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 trivy call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about trivy
Runs Trivy vulnerability/misconfiguration scanner on container images, filesystems, or IaC configs. Returns structured vulnerability data with severity summary. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Github MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
Register the Github MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for trivy: 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.
trivy is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the trivy 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 trivy. 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.
trivy 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.
More on Github, and thousands of servers like it.
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