analyze_trace

THE RISK

Low Risk

Why analyze_trace needs a policy

This tool retrieves and analyzes existing performance trace data to provide insights and recommendations. It has no side effects on the traced application, the trace files themselves, or any system state. It is purely an analytical/read operation over performance profiling data.

From the tool's definition The tool 'analyze_trace' takes an Xcode Instruments trace file as input and 'generate[s] recommendations' based on analysis.

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

POLICY

How to control analyze_trace

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

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "analyze_trace": {}
  }
}

analyze_trace is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

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

CAP THIS TOOL →

Free to start. No card required.

EXPLORE

Related tools and policies

More XcodeTraceMCP tools

Destructive cleanup_traces Trace garbage collector. Preview or delete .trace bundles after the user is done inspectin Execute profile_running_app Record an app once with a profiling preset and return one combined report. Prefer attach-b Execute track_running_app Record one explicit Instruments template. Use this when the user names a template such as Read check_xctrace Check if xctrace is available and get version information Read compare_traces Compare two trace files to detect performance regressions or improvements Read list_devices List all available devices (simulators and real devices) for profiling Read list_templates List all available Instruments templates on this system

All 8 XcodeTraceMCP tools →

Read tools on other servers

M-Team MCP Server get_torrent_detail YouTube MCP Server search_channel Android Forensics ADB MCP Server parse_browser_history 0xarchive web3_challenge

Go deeper

The MCP Attack Database → Documented attack patterns against MCP deployments — and the policies that stop them.
Data exfiltration → How read access becomes an exfiltration channel when chained with untrusted content.
MCP token cost → What connecting this server costs in context-window tokens on every request.
Rate Limiting MCP Tool Calls: A Practical Guide →
MCP Security: Why Prompt Guardrails Aren't Enough →

FAQ

Questions about analyze_trace

What does the analyze_trace tool do? +

Analyze an Xcode Instruments trace file for performance bottlenecks and generate recommendations. It is categorised as a Read tool in the XcodeTraceMCP MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on analyze_trace? +

Register the XcodeTrace MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for analyze_trace: 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 XcodeTraceMCP. Nothing to install.

What risk level is analyze_trace? +

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

Can I rate-limit analyze_trace? +

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

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

analyze_trace is provided by the XcodeTrace MCP server (jamesrochabrun/xcodetracemcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every XcodeTraceMCP tool call.

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

CHECK YOUR STACK →