List the contents of a directory.
AI agents call list_directory to retrieve information from SousChef without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
The tool performs a query/retrieval action (listing directory contents) with no side effects, modifications, or irreversible changes. It falls squarely into the Read category. Severity is low because directory listing alone poses minimal risk unless the system contains highly sensitive file paths, but in the context of a Chef-to-Ansible migration tool, this is a standard operational read.
From the tool's definition Tool name is 'list_directory' and description states 'List the contents of a directory.' This is a read operation that retrieves directory structure without modifying, deleting, or executing code.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access list_directory gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and SousChef, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for list_directory:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"list_directory": {}
}
}list_directory is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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List the contents of a directory. It is categorised as a Read tool in the SousChef MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the SousChef MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_directory: 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 SousChef. Nothing to install.
list_directory 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_directory 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_directory. 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_directory is provided by the SousChef MCP server (kpeacocke/souschef). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from SousChef, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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96 SousChef tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.