trace_step
AI agents call trace_step to retrieve information from Agent Safety without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
Even though trace_step only reads data, uncontrolled read access leaks sensitive information and racks up API costs — an agent caught in a retry loop can make thousands of calls a minute without anyone noticing.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
trace_step. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Agent Safety MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Agent Safety MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for trace_step: 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 Agent Safety. Nothing to install.
trace_step 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 trace_step 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 trace_step. 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.
trace_step is provided by the Agent Safety MCP server (luciferforge/agent-safety-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
trace_step is one line of Agent Safety's registry record.
The record carries the whole server: verified identity, auth posture, risk grade, every tool classified, recommended policy — re-checked continuously.
Teams ship this data inside their own products. See what a licence covers →