Lists all files and directories in a specific Obsidian directory
AI agents call list_files_in_dir to retrieve information from MCP server for Obsidian without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves/queries a directory listing without side effects. It is a standard read operation analogous to 'ls' or 'dir'. No data is created, modified, deleted, or destroyed. The low severity reflects that unauthorized directory listing poses minimal risk compared to write, execute, or destructive operations, though it could expose sensitive file structure information in an Obsidian vault.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'list_files_in_dir' and description 'Lists all files and directories in a specific Obsidian directory' indicate a read-only query operation with no modification or deletion of data.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access list_files_in_dir gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and MCP server for Obsidian, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for list_files_in_dir:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"list_files_in_dir": {}
}
}list_files_in_dir is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Lists all files and directories in a specific Obsidian directory. It is categorised as a Read tool in the MCP server for Obsidian MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the MCP server for Obsidian MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_files_in_dir: 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 server for Obsidian. Nothing to install.
list_files_in_dir 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_files_in_dir 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_files_in_dir. 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_files_in_dir is provided by the MCP server for Obsidian MCP server (markuspfundstein/mcp-obsidian). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from MCP server for Obsidian, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
Free to start. No card required.
7 MCP server for Obsidian tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.