AI agents call get_protocol_statistics to retrieve information from Wireshark MCP Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves protocol statistics from network captures—a passive read operation with no side effects. It queries existing packet data to return summary information, consistent with Wireshark's role in network analysis and monitoring. No data is created, modified, deleted, or executed. Severity is low because network statistics provide informational insights without blast radius from misuse.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'get_protocol_statistics' indicates retrieval of summary statistics from captured network data. Sibling tools like 'analyze_pcap_file', 'get_capture_file_info', and 'follow_tcp_stream' are all read-only query operations on network captures.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access get_protocol_statistics gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Wireshark MCP Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for get_protocol_statistics:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"get_protocol_statistics": {}
}
}get_protocol_statistics is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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get_protocol_statistics. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Wireshark MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Wireshark MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_protocol_statistics: 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 Wireshark MCP Server. Nothing to install.
get_protocol_statistics 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_protocol_statistics 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_protocol_statistics. 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_protocol_statistics is provided by the Wireshark MCP Server MCP server (mixelpixx/wireshark-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Wireshark MCP Server, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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19 Wireshark MCP Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.