List all active ranking pins with weight, scope, target, expiry, and creator. Use to inspect what is currently boosted/demoted in PageRank-driven ranking. Read-only. Returns JSON: { pins: [{ scope, target_id, weight, expires_at, created_by, created_at }], total, cap }.
AI agents call list_pins to retrieve information from Trace without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool queries and returns metadata about active ranking pins (scope, target_id, weight, expiry, creator). It has no side effects, cannot modify data, and does not execute code or trigger external operations. It is purely informational retrieval, making it a standard Read operation with low blast radius if misused.
From the tool's definition The tool description explicitly states 'Read-only' and uses verbs like 'List' and 'inspect'. It retrieves PageRank ranking pin configurations without modifying or executing any operations.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access list_pins gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Trace, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for list_pins:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"list_pins": {}
}
}list_pins is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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List all active ranking pins with weight, scope, target, expiry, and creator. Use to inspect what is currently boosted/demoted in PageRank-driven ranking. Read-only. Returns JSON: { pins: [{ scope, target_id, weight, expires_at, created_by, created_at }], total, cap }. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Trace MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Trace MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_pins: 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 Trace. Nothing to install.
list_pins 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_pins 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_pins. 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_pins is provided by the Trace MCP server (nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 178 Trace tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
Free to start. No card required.
178 Trace tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.