AI agents call list_alarms to retrieve information from Ignition 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 a list of existing alarm pipeline names. It performs no modification, deletion, execution, or financial operation. The action is informational/read-only, exposing the alarm configuration surface of an Ignition SCADA project. While the information could be used for reconnaissance in a multi-step attack, the tool itself has minimal blast radius and no direct harmful capability.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'list_alarms' and description 'List all alarm pipeline names in an Ignition project' indicate a retrieval operation with no side effects.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
List all alarm pipeline names in an Ignition project. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Ignition MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Ignition MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_alarms: 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 Ignition. Nothing to install.
list_alarms 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_alarms 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_alarms. 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_alarms is provided by the Ignition MCP server (nodeblue-ai/ignition-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.
Teams ship this data inside their own products. See what a licence covers →