AI agents call get_translation to retrieve information from Biomart MCP without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
Translation of biological identifiers (e.g., gene names to IDs) is a read operation that queries mapping data. It does not create, modify, delete, or execute external code. The worst-case misuse would be retrieving translated identifiers, which poses minimal risk. Low confidence downgrade (0.85→0.9) due to missing description, but the name and server context strongly suggest a read operation.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'get_translation' and context from sibling tools (batch_translate, list_all_attributes, etc.) indicate this retrieves or translates biological identifiers between different naming systems.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access get_translation gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Biomart MCP, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for get_translation:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"get_translation": {}
}
}get_translation is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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get_translation. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Biomart MCP MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Biomart MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_translation: 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 Biomart MCP. Nothing to install.
get_translation 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_translation 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_translation. 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_translation is provided by the Biomart MCP server (jzinno/biomart-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Biomart MCP, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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8 Biomart MCP tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.