AI agents call list_skills to retrieve information from SkillMCP without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves and lists skill metadata from a merged set of global and local project skills. It performs no side effects, does not execute code, does not modify data, and does not delete anything. It is a straightforward data query operation, making it a Read category tool with low severity.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'list_skills' and description 'Return JSON list of skill metadata' indicate a retrieval operation that queries and returns data without modification or execution.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Return JSON list of skill metadata — global skills merged with local project skills. It is categorised as a Read tool in the SkillMCP MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Skill MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_skills: 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 SkillMCP. Nothing to install.
list_skills 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_skills 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_skills. 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_skills is provided by the Skill MCP server (nventimiglia/skillsmcp). 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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