Low Risk

show_master_status

Show master status for replication.

How to control show_master_status ↓

What show_master_status does on Mysql

AI agents call show_master_status to retrieve information from Mysql without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

Low Risk

Why show_master_status needs a policy

This tool retrieves replication metadata (master binlog position, file, etc.) without modifying any data or triggering side effects. It is a diagnostic query consistent with the server's stated purpose of 'performance analysis and server monitoring.' Even in a production database, exposing replication status poses minimal risk—it's informational only.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'show_master_status' and description 'Show master status for replication' indicate a query operation that retrieves replication status information. The verb 'show' and lack of any modification language confirm this is a read-only operation.

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access show_master_status gives an agent:

How to control show_master_status

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Mysql, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for show_master_status:

policy.json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "show_master_status": {}
  }
}

show_master_status is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

  1. Create a free account and register Mysql — nothing to install.
  2. Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
  3. Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.
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Related tools and policies

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Questions about show_master_status

What does the show_master_status tool do? +

Show master status for replication. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Mysql MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on show_master_status? +

Register the Mysql MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for show_master_status: 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 Mysql. Nothing to install.

What risk level is show_master_status? +

show_master_status is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.

Can I rate-limit show_master_status? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the show_master_status 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.

How do I block show_master_status completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for show_master_status. 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.

What MCP server provides show_master_status? +

show_master_status is provided by the Mysql MCP server (mukul975/mysql-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Mysql tool call.

Start from Mysql, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.

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233 Mysql tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.

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