Get the total number of messages in INBOX. Auto-connects if not already connected.
AI agents call get_message_count to retrieve information from Mcp Mail Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool queries mailbox metadata (message count) without modifying, deleting, or executing any operations. It is a simple read operation that returns information about the email account state. The auto-connect behavior is a convenience feature that does not change the classification. Severity is low because accessing message count metadata poses minimal security risk even if misused by an AI agent.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'get_message_count' and description 'Get the total number of messages in INBOX' indicate a retrieval operation with no side effects.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Get the total number of messages in INBOX. Auto-connects if not already connected. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Mcp Mail Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Mcp Mail Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_message_count: 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 Mail Server. Nothing to install.
get_message_count 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 get_message_count 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 get_message_count. 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.
get_message_count is provided by the Mcp Mail Server MCP server (mcp-mail-server). 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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