get-category

THE RISK

Low Risk

Why get-category needs a policy

This tool retrieves category data by identifier. It performs a query operation that does not modify, create, delete, or execute any actions. The read-only nature and limited blast radius of data retrieval classify this as low severity Read category.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'get-category' and description 'Get a category by ID' indicate a retrieval operation with no side effects.

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access get-category gives an agent:

POLICY

How to control get-category

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and PI API MCP Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for get-category:

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "get-category": {}
  }
}

get-category 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 PI API MCP Server — 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 PI API MCP Server tools

Destructive delete-category Delete a category Destructive delete-chart Delete a chart Write create-category Create a new category Write set-api-url Set the API base URL for all requests Write set-organization Set the organization ID for subsequent requests Write update-category Update an existing category Other authenticate Guide for authenticating with the PI API Other authenticate-with-credentials Authenticate with the PI API using username and password (last resort option)

All 18 PI API MCP Server 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 get-category

What does the get-category tool do? +

Get a category by ID. It is categorised as a Read tool in the PI API MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on get-category? +

Register the PI API MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get-category: 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 PI API MCP Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is get-category? +

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

Can I rate-limit get-category? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the get-category 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 get-category completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for get-category. 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 get-category? +

get-category is provided by the PI API MCP Server MCP server (mingzilla/pi-api-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every PI API MCP Server tool call.

Start from PI API MCP Server, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.

CHECK YOUR STACK →