AI agents call now 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.
This tool retrieves the current system time without querying external data sources, modifying any state, executing code, or affecting system resources. It is a simple informational query with minimal security risk. Classified as Read with low severity.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'now' and description 'Get current date and time' indicates a read-only retrieval operation with no side effects or state modifications.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Get current date and time. Use this whenever you need to know the current time. 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 now: 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.
now 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 now 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 now. 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.
now 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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