AI agents call list_blocked_commands to retrieve information from Desktop Commander MCP without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool only queries and returns information about blocked commands without any side effects, data modification, code execution, or destructive actions. It falls squarely into the Read category as a simple informational query.
From the tool's definition The tool 'list_blocked_commands' retrieves a list of currently blocked commands with no modification or execution capability. The description explicitly states it 'List[s] all currently blocked commands,' which is a data retrieval operation.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access list_blocked_commands gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Desktop Commander MCP, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for list_blocked_commands:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"list_blocked_commands": {}
}
}list_blocked_commands is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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List all currently blocked commands. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Desktop Commander MCP MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Desktop Commander MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_blocked_commands: 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 Desktop Commander MCP. Nothing to install.
list_blocked_commands 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_blocked_commands 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_blocked_commands. 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_blocked_commands is provided by the Desktop Commander MCP server (mrgnss/claudedesktopcommander). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Desktop Commander MCP, 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 Desktop Commander MCP tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.