List currently active subagents and their status
AI agents call list_active_subagents to retrieve information from MCP Goose Subagents Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This is a straightforward information retrieval tool that queries the state of active subagents. It has no capability to modify, execute code, delete data, or trigger financial transactions. The blast radius of misuse is minimal—an agent could only gain visibility into which subagents are currently running, which poses no direct harm. Classified as Read (low severity).
From the tool's definition Tool name 'list_active_subagents' and description 'List currently active subagents and their status' indicate a query/retrieval operation with no side effects. Returns information about running subagents without modifying, executing, or deleting anything.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
List currently active subagents and their status. It is categorised as a Read tool in the MCP Goose Subagents Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the MCP Goose Subagents Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_active_subagents: 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 MCP Goose Subagents Server. Nothing to install.
list_active_subagents 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 list_active_subagents 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 list_active_subagents. 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.
list_active_subagents is provided by the MCP Goose Subagents Server MCP server (lordstyled55/goose-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.
Teams ship this data inside their own products. See what a licence covers →