Use this as the primary tool to retrieve a single distributed trace from Google Cloud Trace. Traces provide a detailed view of the path of a request as it travels through your application
AI agents call get_trace to retrieve information from Observability without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves observability/telemetry data from Google Cloud Trace. It queries existing trace information without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing any operations. The blast radius of misuse is limited to information disclosure of application performance and request flow data.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'get_trace' and description 'retrieve a single distributed trace' indicate data retrieval with no side effects. The description explicitly states it provides a 'detailed view' of request paths, which is a read-only query operation.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Use this as the primary tool to retrieve a single distributed trace from Google Cloud Trace. Traces provide a detailed view of the path of a request as it travels through your application. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Observability MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Observability MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_trace: 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 Observability. Nothing to install.
get_trace 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 get_trace 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 get_trace. 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.
get_trace is provided by the Observability MCP server (@google-cloud/observability-mcp). 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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