List currently running applications with a visible UI.
AI agents call list_apps to retrieve information from Mcp Desktop without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves information about running applications without performing any actions on them, causing no side effects. It is purely observational, analogous to querying a system status. While the server context involves desktop automation capabilities, list_apps itself is a read-only operation that gathers data for situational awareness.
From the tool's definition list_apps returns a list of currently running applications with a visible UI; the description indicates no modification or execution of applications, only retrieval of their state.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
List currently running applications with a visible UI. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Mcp Desktop MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Mcp Desktop MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_apps: 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 Desktop. Nothing to install.
list_apps 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_apps 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_apps. 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_apps is provided by the Mcp Desktop MCP server (mocha06/mcp-desktop). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
list_apps is one line of Mcp Desktop's registry record.
The record carries the whole server: verified identity, auth posture, risk grade, every tool classified, recommended policy — re-checked continuously.
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