AI agents call count to retrieve information from Basic without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
The tool retrieves and analyzes properties of provided text without side effects, state changes, or external operations. It is purely informational and deterministic, consistent with the server's stated purpose of providing utilities for calculations and data analysis. No data is modified, deleted, or executed.
From the tool's definition Tool description states it 'Count characters, words, lines, and bytes in text' with no indication of modifying, deleting, or executing operations. This is a read-only analysis operation.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Count characters, words, lines, and bytes in text. Use this instead of trying to count manually. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Basic MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Basic MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for count: 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 Basic. Nothing to install.
count 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 count 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 count. 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.
count is provided by the Basic MCP server (msilverblatt/basic-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.
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