Locate an image on the screen and return its position.
AI agents call locate_on_screen to retrieve information from macOS Control 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 image recognition to find a visual element on the screen and returns coordinate data. It has no side effects—it does not execute commands, modify data, delete anything, or trigger external operations. It is purely observational.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'locate_on_screen' and description 'Locate an image on the screen and return its position' indicate a query/detection operation that retrieves visual information without modifying system state or executing actions.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Locate an image on the screen and return its position. It is categorised as a Read tool in the macOS Control MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the macOS Control MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for locate_on_screen: 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 macOS Control MCP Server. Nothing to install.
locate_on_screen 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 locate_on_screen 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 locate_on_screen. 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.
locate_on_screen is provided by the macOS Control MCP Server MCP server (lodimup/macos-control-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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