variable-list

Lists repository, organization, or environment GitHub Actions variables with values and metadata.

SERVERHttp SOURCE@paretools/http

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-http/variable-list.md

WHAT IT DOES

What variable-list does on Http

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

RISK

Why variable-list is rated Low

This tool retrieves and queries GitHub Actions variables, which is fundamentally a read operation. However, the severity is elevated to medium rather than low because GitHub Actions variables can contain sensitive information such as API keys, credentials, deployment targets, or other operational secrets.

From the tool's definition Tool description explicitly states 'Lists... GitHub Actions variables with values and metadata.' The word 'Lists' and the focus on retrieving variable values and metadata indicate a read operation with no modification capabilities.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs variable-list safely

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

variable-list Allowed

variable-list 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": {
    "variable-list": {}
  }
}

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

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

FAQ

Questions about variable-list

What does the variable-list tool do? +

Lists repository, organization, or environment GitHub Actions variables with values and metadata. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Http MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on variable-list? +

Register the Http MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for variable-list: 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 variable-list? +

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

Can I rate-limit variable-list? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the variable-list 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 variable-list completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for variable-list. 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 variable-list? +

variable-list 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.

KEEP EXPLORING

More on Http, and thousands of servers like it.

This server

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Guides

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