AI agents call auth_teams_list to retrieve information from Slack without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves authentication-related team data without modifying or executing operations. The 'list' operation is inherently a read operation. In the Slack context with 220 tools providing 'full access' to messages, channels, and other resources, a tool that lists teams (likely for authentication/authorization purposes) would retrieve metadata rather than perform destructive or executable actions.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'auth_teams_list' indicates listing/retrieving team authentication information. The '_list' suffix is consistent with read operations per the rules (list, get, fetch). Description is empty, which reduces confidence slightly.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
auth_teams_list. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Slack MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Slack MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for auth_teams_list: 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 Slack. Nothing to install.
auth_teams_list 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 auth_teams_list 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 auth_teams_list. 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.
auth_teams_list is provided by the Slack MCP server (karbassi/slack-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Every MCP server has a record like this.
Type a name, get the same breakdown: verified identity, auth posture, risk grade, capabilities, recommended policy.
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