Read specific lines from a file (token-efficient). Returns line range with optional line numbers. Use this instead of read_file when you only need a portion of a large file.
AI agents call read_file_lines to retrieve information from OODA Computer Control without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves file content without side effects. It performs a straightforward read operation returning specified line ranges. No data is modified, deleted, or executed. The severity is low because reading file contents alone poses minimal risk unless the content itself contains sensitive information, which depends on what the user queries—not on the tool's inherent capabilities.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'read_file_lines' and description 'Read specific lines from a file' with 'Returns line range' indicate retrieval without modification.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access read_file_lines gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and OODA Computer Control, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for read_file_lines:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"read_file_lines": {}
}
}read_file_lines is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Read specific lines from a file (token-efficient). Returns line range with optional line numbers. Use this instead of read_file when you only need a portion of a large file. It is categorised as a Read tool in the OODA Computer Control MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the OODA Computer Control MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for read_file_lines: 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 OODA Computer Control. Nothing to install.
read_file_lines 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 read_file_lines 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 read_file_lines. 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.
read_file_lines is provided by the OODA Computer Control MCP server (mnehmos/mnehmos.ooda.mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from OODA Computer Control, 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.
99 OODA Computer Control tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.