Extracts text from a rectangular region of the terminal screen. Coordinates are 0-based, end values are exclusive.
AI agents call get_screen_region to retrieve information from Interactive Shell MCP without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool performs read-only extraction of terminal screen content. It retrieves already-displayed text from the PTY without executing commands, modifying state, or triggering side effects. While the parent server's purpose is to execute shell commands (which would be Execute category), this particular tool is limited to passive screen content extraction, making it a Read operation with minimal risk.
From the tool's definition Tool description states it 'Extracts text from a rectangular region of the terminal screen' — a retrieval operation with no modification or execution of commands.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Extracts text from a rectangular region of the terminal screen. Coordinates are 0-based, end values are exclusive. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Interactive Shell MCP MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Interactive Shell MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_screen_region: 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 Interactive Shell MCP. Nothing to install.
get_screen_region 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 get_screen_region 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 get_screen_region. 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.
get_screen_region is provided by the Interactive Shell MCP server (lightos/interactive-shell-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.
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