download_media

THE RISK

Low Risk

Why download_media needs a policy

This tool retrieves media content from existing WhatsApp messages. While it accesses user data (which carries privacy/confidentiality concerns), the operation itself is read-only with no side effects on the WhatsApp account or message state.

From the tool's definition Tool name is 'download_media' and description states 'Download media from a WhatsApp message and return its content' — retrieves/extracts data with no modification or deletion of source data.

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access download_media gives an agent:

POLICY

How to control download_media

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Mcp Whatsapp Web, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for download_media:

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "download_media": {}
  }
}

download_media is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

Create a free account and register Mcp Whatsapp Web — nothing to install.
Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.

CAP THIS TOOL →

Free to start. No card required.

EXPLORE

Related tools and policies

More Mcp Whatsapp Web tools

Destructive logout Logout from WhatsApp and clear the current session Write send_media Send media (image, video, document, audio) via WhatsApp. Write send_message Send a WhatsApp text message to a person or group. Read check_auth_status Check if the WhatsApp client is authenticated and connected Read get_chat_by_id Get WhatsApp chat metadata by JID. Read get_contact_by_id Get contact details by JID. Read get_direct_chat_by_contact_number Get direct WhatsApp chat JID by contact phone number (less reliable, use get_chat_by_id if Read get_last_interaction Get the most recent message involving a specific contact or group JID.

All 16 Mcp Whatsapp Web tools →

Read tools on other servers

M-Team MCP Server get_torrent_detail YouTube MCP Server search_channel Android Forensics ADB MCP Server parse_browser_history 0xarchive web3_challenge

Go deeper

The MCP Attack Database → Documented attack patterns against MCP deployments — and the policies that stop them.
Data exfiltration → How read access becomes an exfiltration channel when chained with untrusted content.
MCP token cost → What connecting this server costs in context-window tokens on every request.
Rate Limiting MCP Tool Calls: A Practical Guide →
MCP Security: Why Prompt Guardrails Aren't Enough →

FAQ

Questions about download_media

What does the download_media tool do? +

Download media from a WhatsApp message and return its content. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Mcp Whatsapp Web MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on download_media? +

Register the Mcp Whatsapp Web MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for download_media: 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 Whatsapp Web. Nothing to install.

What risk level is download_media? +

download_media is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.

Can I rate-limit download_media? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the download_media 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.

How do I block download_media completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for download_media. 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.

What MCP server provides download_media? +

download_media is provided by the Mcp Whatsapp Web MCP server (mario-andreschak/mcp-whatsapp-web). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Mcp Whatsapp Web tool call.

Start from Mcp Whatsapp Web, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.

CHECK YOUR STACK →