AI agents call list_documents to retrieve information from Rag without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool queries and returns information about documents stored in the knowledge base without modifying, deleting, or executing any operations. It is a standard read operation that returns existing data. The low severity reflects that document metadata listing poses minimal risk even if misused by an agent.
From the tool's definition Tool name is 'list_documents' and description states it 'List documents in the knowledge base' — a retrieval operation with no side effects.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
List documents in the knowledge base. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Rag MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Rag MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_documents: 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 Rag. Nothing to install.
list_documents 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_documents 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_documents. 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_documents is provided by the Rag MCP server (mrankitvish/rag-mcp). 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.
Teams ship this data inside their own products. See what a licence covers →