AI agents call download_file to retrieve information from Pentest MCP Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves/reads file content from the system without creating, modifying, or deleting data. However, severity is elevated to medium rather than low because: (1) it operates within a penetration testing server with SSH/remote execution capabilities, (2) it could exfiltrate sensitive files if an agent is compromised or misdirected, and (3) in the context of a system with tools like execute, kill_session, and…
From the tool's definition Tool name 'download_file' and description 'Download a file from the your OS system' indicate retrieval of data without modification.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access download_file gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Pentest MCP Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for download_file:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"download_file": {}
}
}download_file is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Download a file from the your OS system. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Pentest MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Pentest MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for download_file: 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 Pentest MCP Server. Nothing to install.
download_file 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 download_file 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 download_file. 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.
download_file is provided by the Pentest MCP Server MCP server (layesec006/pentest-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Pentest MCP Server, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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12 Pentest MCP Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.