list_folders

THE RISK

Low Risk

Why list_folders needs a policy

This tool only retrieves metadata about configured folders without modifying, executing, or deleting anything. It is a straightforward read operation that answers 'what folders are available?' The server's stated purpose of 'securely read, search, and analyze local file systems' further confirms the read-only intent.

From the tool's definition Tool name is 'list_folders' and description states 'List all configured folders in the multi-folder system'. The verb 'list' and the read-only nature of querying folder configuration indicates data retrieval with no side effects.

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

POLICY

How to control list_folders

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

policy.json

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

list_folders 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 Folder — 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 Folder tools

Read explore Explore folder structure with ls-like navigation showing both directories and files Read find_documents Find documents using document-level embeddings for topic discovery. Returns ranked documen Read get_chunks Retrieve specific chunks by ID for targeted content access Read get_document_metadata Get document metadata and structure with chunk navigation from a specific folder Read get_document_text Get extracted plain text from any document type with character-based pagination Read get_server_info Get information about the folder-mcp server and daemon status Read list_documents List documents in a specific folder Read search_content Search for content using hybrid semantic and exact term matching. Combines vector similari

All 9 Folder 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 list_folders

What does the list_folders tool do? +

List all configured folders in the multi-folder system. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Folder MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on list_folders? +

Register the Folder MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_folders: 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 Folder. Nothing to install.

What risk level is list_folders? +

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

Can I rate-limit list_folders? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the list_folders 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 list_folders completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for list_folders. 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 list_folders? +

list_folders is provided by the Folder MCP server (okets/folder-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Folder tool call.

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

CHECK YOUR STACK →