High Risk →

pull

Pulls a Docker image from a registry and returns structured result with digest info.

How to control pull ↓

What pull does on Http

AI agents invoke pull to trigger actions in Http. 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.

High Risk

Why pull needs a policy

Pulling a Docker image triggers an external network operation (downloading from a registry) and modifies the local Docker image cache. This is an Execute-level action as it runs an external operation (docker pull) with effects that depend on the image argument. It's not purely Read since it downloads and stores data locally, but it's not Destructive or Financial either.

From the tool's definition Pulls a Docker image from a registry and returns structured result with digest info

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access pull gives an agent:

How to control pull

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Http, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for pull:

policy.json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "pull": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "pull_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

pull 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.

  1. Create a free account and register Http — nothing to install.
  2. Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
  3. Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.
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Related tools and policies

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Questions about pull

What does the pull tool do? +

Pulls a Docker image from a registry and returns structured result with digest info. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Http MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on pull? +

Register the Http MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for pull: 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 Http. Nothing to install.

What risk level is pull? +

pull is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.

Can I rate-limit pull? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the pull 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 pull completely? +

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

pull is provided by the Http MCP server (@paretools/http). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Http tool call.

Start from Http, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.

Free to start. No card required.

202 Http tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.

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