Download a single file from a remote SSH server to the local machine. This tool establishes an SSH connection and transfers a remote file to the specified local path using SFTP protocol. Args: - host (string): SSH server hostname or IP address - port (number): SSH server port (default: 22) - user...
AI agents call ssh_download_file 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.
The tool retrieves data from a remote server without modifying, deleting, or executing anything. It is a Read operation. Severity is high (not critical) because although it only reads, an AI agent with SSH credentials could exfiltrate sensitive files from infrastructure, representing significant data breach risk. Confidence is very high because the description explicitly describes file download/transfer semantics.
From the tool's definition Tool description states it "Download[s] a single file from a remote SSH server to the local machine" and "transfers a remote file to the specified local path using SFTP protocol." These are retrieval operations with no side effects on the remote system.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Download a single file from a remote SSH server to the local machine. This tool establishes an SSH connection and transfers a remote file to the specified local path 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 file 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_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 SSH MCP Server. Nothing to install.
ssh_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 ssh_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 ssh_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.
ssh_download_file 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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