get_element

THE RISK

Low Risk

Why get_element needs a policy

This tool retrieves or queries data about BPMN diagram elements with no side effects, modifications, or destructive operations. It is a straightforward read operation that returns information about an existing element.

From the tool's definition Tool name is 'get_element' and description states 'Get details of a specific element in the current diagram' — retrieves information without modifying or deleting data.

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access get_element gives an agent:

POLICY

How to control get_element

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and MCP-BPMN Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for get_element:

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "get_element": {}
  }
}

get_element is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

Create a free account and register MCP-BPMN Server — nothing to install.
Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.

CAP THIS TOOL →

Free to start. No card required.

EXPLORE

Related tools and policies

More MCP-BPMN Server tools

Destructive bpmn_delete_diagram Delete a saved BPMN diagram file Destructive bpmn_delete_element Delete an element from the process Destructive delete_diagram_file Delete a saved BPMN diagram file Destructive delete_element Delete an element from the current diagram Write new_bpmn Create a new BPMN diagram and set it as current context Write new_from_mermaid Create a new BPMN diagram from Mermaid code and set it as current context Write add_activity Add an activity to the current diagram Write add_event Add an event to the current diagram

All 41 MCP-BPMN Server tools →

Read tools on other servers

M-Team MCP Server get_torrent_detail YouTube MCP Server search_channel Android Forensics ADB MCP Server parse_browser_history 0xarchive web3_challenge

Go deeper

The MCP Attack Database → Documented attack patterns against MCP deployments — and the policies that stop them.
Data exfiltration → How read access becomes an exfiltration channel when chained with untrusted content.
MCP token cost → What connecting this server costs in context-window tokens on every request.
Rate Limiting MCP Tool Calls: A Practical Guide →
MCP Security: Why Prompt Guardrails Aren't Enough →

FAQ

Questions about get_element

What does the get_element tool do? +

Get details of a specific element in the current diagram. It is categorised as a Read tool in the MCP-BPMN Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on get_element? +

Register the MCP-BPMN Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_element: 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 MCP-BPMN Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is get_element? +

get_element is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.

Can I rate-limit get_element? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the get_element 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.

How do I block get_element completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for get_element. 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.

What MCP server provides get_element? +

get_element is provided by the MCP-BPMN Server MCP server (oisee/mcp-bpmn). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every MCP-BPMN Server tool call.

Start from MCP-BPMN Server, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.

CHECK YOUR STACK →