Lists the contents of a specified directory, distinguishing between files and directories.
AI agents call list-directory to retrieve information from Codebase MCP Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool performs directory enumeration within a codebase analysis context, restricted to a root directory per the server description. It retrieves metadata about file system structure without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing anything. The operation is purely informational, matching the Read category definition of retrieval with no side effects.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'list-directory' and description 'Lists the contents of a specified directory, distinguishing between files and directories' indicate a retrieval operation with no data modification or side effects.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Lists the contents of a specified directory, distinguishing between files and directories. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Codebase MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Codebase MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list-directory: 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 Codebase MCP Server. Nothing to install.
list-directory 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-directory 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-directory. 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-directory is provided by the Codebase MCP Server MCP server (myunghobae/codebase-mcp-server). 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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