nhtsa_decode_vin
Decode a vehicle VIN to get make, model, year, and specifications from NHTSA.
This record as markdown: /tools/io-github-malamutemayhem-unclick-mcp-server/nhtsa-decode-vin.md
What nhtsa_decode_vin does on UnClick
AI agents call nhtsa_decode_vin to retrieve information from UnClick without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
vin | string | Yes | 17-character Vehicle Identification Number. |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why nhtsa_decode_vin is rated Low
This is a straightforward query tool that retrieves publicly available vehicle information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It has no side effects, cannot modify data, and poses minimal risk even if queried repeatedly or with arbitrary VINs. The worst-case scenario is information disclosure of public vehicle specs, which has low impact.
From the tool's definition Tool decodes a VIN to retrieve make, model, year, and specifications from NHTSA—a pure data lookup operation with no modification, deletion, or execution of external commands.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs nhtsa_decode_vin safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and UnClick, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For nhtsa_decode_vin, this is the rule to start with:
nhtsa_decode_vin 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 UnClick, apply this rule, and every nhtsa_decode_vin call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about nhtsa_decode_vin
Decode a vehicle VIN to get make, model, year, and specifications from NHTSA. It is categorised as a Read tool in the UnClick MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
nhtsa_decode_vin accepts 1 parameter: vin. Required: vin. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the UnClick MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for nhtsa_decode_vin: 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 UnClick. Nothing to install.
nhtsa_decode_vin 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 nhtsa_decode_vin 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 nhtsa_decode_vin. 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.
nhtsa_decode_vin is provided by the UnClick MCP server (@unclick/mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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