Get statistics for a shortened URL
AI agents call url_stats to retrieve information from YOURLS-MCP without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves statistical information about a URL without creating, modifying, or deleting any data. It is a query operation with no side effects, fitting the 'Read' category. The blast radius of misuse is minimal—an attacker could only gather statistics about shortened URLs that already exist. Severity is low because this poses no direct harm to systems or data integrity.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'url_stats' and description 'Get statistics for a shortened URL' indicate read-only retrieval of click/usage data with no modification or deletion of data.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Get statistics for a shortened URL. It is categorised as a Read tool in the YOURLS-MCP MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the YOURLS- MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for url_stats: 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 YOURLS-MCP. Nothing to install.
url_stats 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 url_stats 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 url_stats. 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.
url_stats is provided by the YOURLS- MCP server (kesslerio/yourls-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.
Teams ship this data inside their own products. See what a licence covers →