List all systemd services with their current status.
AI agents call list_services to retrieve information from Linux MCP Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool queries systemd service metadata and status, producing no side effects. It is purely informational retrieval, consistent with the read-only diagnostic purpose of the Linux MCP Server. The blast radius of misuse is minimal—an AI agent could at worst learn about running services to inform further reconnaissance, but cannot execute, modify, or delete services with this tool alone.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'list_services' and description 'List all systemd services with their current status' indicate a query operation that retrieves service status information without modifying or executing anything.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
List all systemd services with their current status. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Linux MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Linux MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_services: 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 Linux MCP Server. Nothing to install.
list_services 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_services 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_services. 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_services is provided by the Linux MCP Server MCP server (narmaku/linux-mcp-server-archived). 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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