AI agents call list_all_attributes 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.
This tool retrieves or enumerates attributes from biological databases without altering data. The description is empty, lowering confidence slightly, but the name pattern and sibling tool context (list_*, get_* operations) strongly indicate a harmless read operation with minimal blast radius if misused—at worst, an agent could retrieve unwanted metadata about available attributes.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'list_all_attributes' indicates a listing/querying operation with no modification capability. Sibling tools like 'list_datasets', 'list_filters', and 'list_marts' suggest this is part of a read-only discovery API for Biomart.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access list_all_attributes 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 list_all_attributes:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"list_all_attributes": {}
}
}list_all_attributes is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
Free to start. No card required.
list_all_attributes. 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 list_all_attributes: 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.
list_all_attributes 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 list_all_attributes 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 list_all_attributes. 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.
list_all_attributes 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.
Free to start. No card required.
8 Biomart MCP tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.