get_hn_karma

THE RISK

Low Risk

Why get_hn_karma needs a policy

This is a read-only retrieval of user statistics from Hacker News. It queries data about the configured username's public profile metrics (karma, submission count) without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing any operations.

From the tool's definition Tool retrieves 'current karma and submission count' with no modification capability; purely a query/fetch operation pulling publicly available Hacker News user metrics.

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

POLICY

How to control get_hn_karma

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

policy.json

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

get_hn_karma 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 Me — 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 Me tools

Read ask_about_me Ask any question about this person and get an answer based on their complete profile. Read get_bluesky_posts Get recent posts from ${this.config.handle} Read get_devto_latest Get the most recent articles by ${this.config.username} Read get_github_repos List public repositories for ${this.config.username} Read get_gitlab_projects List projects for ${this.config.username} with optional filters Read get_lastfm_now_playing Check what ${this.config.username} is listening to right now Read get_lastfm_top Get top artists or tracks for ${this.config.username} Read get_mastodon_posts Get recent toots from ${this.config.handle}

All 17 Mcp Me 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_hn_karma

What does the get_hn_karma tool do? +

Get current karma and submission count for ${this.config.username}. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Mcp Me MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on get_hn_karma? +

Register the Mcp Me MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_hn_karma: 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 Me. Nothing to install.

What risk level is get_hn_karma? +

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

Can I rate-limit get_hn_karma? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the get_hn_karma 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_hn_karma completely? +

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

get_hn_karma is provided by the Mcp Me MCP server (paladini/mcp-me). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Mcp Me tool call.

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

CHECK YOUR STACK →