get_btc_chain_tips
READ-ONLY — bitcoind getchaintips output: every fork the node knows about, with branchlen and status (active / valid-fork / valid-headers / headers-only / invalid). THE primitive for fork / deep-reorg detection — Esplora indexers cannot expose this; they only know the chain they followed. Require...
This record as markdown: /tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/get-btc-chain-tips.md
What get_btc_chain_tips does on VaultPilot MCP
AI agents call get_btc_chain_tips to retrieve information from VaultPilot MCP without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
Why get_btc_chain_tips is rated Low
This tool queries blockchain state (fork detection, chain tips) from a local or remote bitcoind node. It is purely informational — it reads and returns existing chain data. The blast radius of misuse is minimal: an agent cannot cause financial loss, execute code, or modify state via this read-only query. Classified as Read.
From the tool's definition Tool name includes 'READ-ONLY' and description states it returns 'bitcoind `getchaintips` output' — a query operation that retrieves fork and chain state information without modifying any data.
Risk signalsBulk/mass operation — affects multiple targets
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs get_btc_chain_tips safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and VaultPilot MCP, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For get_btc_chain_tips, this is the rule to start with:
get_btc_chain_tips 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 VaultPilot MCP, apply this rule, and every get_btc_chain_tips call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about get_btc_chain_tips
READ-ONLY — bitcoind getchaintips output: every fork the node knows about, with branchlen and status (active / valid-fork / valid-headers / headers-only / invalid). THE primitive for fork / deep-reorg detection — Esplora indexers cannot expose this; they only know the chain they followed. Requires BITCOIN_RPC_URL configured (self-hosted bitcoind or a public RPC provider). Returns available: false with a setup hint when RPC is not configured. Issue #248 / #233 v2. It is categorised as a Read tool in the VaultPilot MCP MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the VaultPilot MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_btc_chain_tips: 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 VaultPilot MCP. Nothing to install.
get_btc_chain_tips 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 get_btc_chain_tips 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 get_btc_chain_tips. 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.
get_btc_chain_tips is provided by the VaultPilot MCP server (vaultpilot-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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