Download a remote directory and all its contents from an SSH server to the local machine. This tool recursively transfers a remote directory path to the specified local directory using SFTP protocol. Args: - host (string): SSH server hostname or IP address - port (number): SSH server port (defaul...
AI agents call ssh_download_directory to retrieve information from SSH MCP Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool performs a read-only operation—downloading/copying remote files to a local system. While the blast radius is high (an agent could exfiltrate sensitive data, credentials, or entire codebases from remote servers), the operation itself is non-destructive and does not modify, delete, or execute anything on the remote host.
From the tool's definition Tool description states it "Download[s] a remote directory and all its contents from an SSH server to the local machine" and "recursively transfers a remote directory path to the specified local directory." The core function is retrieval of data with no…
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Download a remote directory and all its contents from an SSH server to the local machine. This tool recursively transfers a remote directory path to the specified local directory using SFTP protocol. Args: - host (string): SSH server hostname or IP address - port (number): SSH server port (default: 22) - username (string): SSH username - password (string): SSH password (optional if privateKey is provided) - privateKey (string): Path to private key file or private key content (optional) - timeout (number): Connection timeout in milliseconds (default: 30000) - remote_path (string): Remote directory path to download - local_path (string): Local destination path - response_format (. It is categorised as a Read tool in the SSH MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the SSH MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for ssh_download_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 SSH MCP Server. Nothing to install.
ssh_download_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 ssh_download_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 ssh_download_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.
ssh_download_directory is provided by the SSH MCP Server MCP server (lazyst/agent-ssh). 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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