scan_remote_repo

THE RISK

Medium Risk

Why scan_remote_repo needs a policy

This tool reads from a remote repository and then writes (populates) data into the graph database. The primary side effect is creating/inserting nodes and edges into Neo4J, making it a Write operation. It could trigger large-scale graph population affecting the entire codebase knowledge graph, hence high severity if misused (e.g., populating with a malicious or incorrect repo).

From the tool's definition 'Scan a remote Git repository and populate the graph database'

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

POLICY

How to control scan_remote_repo

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

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "scan_remote_repo": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "scan_remote_repo_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 30,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

scan_remote_repo stays usable, but capped — an agent stuck in a loop can't make hundreds of changes a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

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

LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Free to start. No card required.

EXPLORE

Related tools and policies

More CodeRAG tools

Destructive clear_git_cache Clear all cached Git repositories to free up disk space. Destructive delete_edge Delete an edge by ID Destructive delete_node Delete a code node by ID Write initialize_semantic_search Initialize semantic search infrastructure including vector indexes Write scan_dir Scan a directory for source files and populate the graph Write add_edge Add a relationship edge between two nodes Write add_file Parse a single source file and add its entities to the graph Write add_node Add a new code node (class, interface, method, etc.) to the graph

All 38 CodeRAG tools →

Write tools on other servers

M-Team MCP Server download_torrent YouTube MCP Server generate_video_title Android Forensics ADB MCP Server combine_reports 0xarchive web3_signup

Go deeper

The MCP Attack Database → Documented attack patterns against MCP deployments — and the policies that stop them.
Argument validation → Checking tool call arguments against schema and policy before they run.
Scoped token → Per-person credentials that grant a defined subset of servers and tools.
Rate Limiting MCP Tool Calls: A Practical Guide →
MCP Security: Why Prompt Guardrails Aren't Enough →

FAQ

Questions about scan_remote_repo

What does the scan_remote_repo tool do? +

Scan a remote Git repository and populate the graph database. Supports GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, and custom Git servers. It is categorised as a Write tool in the CodeRAG MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on scan_remote_repo? +

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

What risk level is scan_remote_repo? +

scan_remote_repo is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.

Can I rate-limit scan_remote_repo? +

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

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

scan_remote_repo is provided by the CodeRAG MCP server (jonnoc/coderag). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every CodeRAG tool call.

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

CHECK YOUR STACK →