AI agents call ssh_download to retrieve information from MCP File Edit without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
SSH downloads transfer files from remote to local systems without modifying source data. While SSH access itself can be sensitive, the download operation itself is read-only and reversible. Severity is low because the blast radius depends entirely on what files are downloaded (determined by user input), not on the tool's inherent effects.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'ssh_download' indicates retrieval of files from a remote system via SSH. Server description mentions 'SSH transfers' as one of its operations.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access ssh_download gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and MCP File Edit, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for ssh_download:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"ssh_download": {}
}
}ssh_download is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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ssh_download. It is categorised as a Read tool in the MCP File Edit MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the MCP File Edit MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for ssh_download: 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 File Edit. Nothing to install.
ssh_download 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 ssh_download 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 ssh_download. 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.
ssh_download is provided by the MCP File Edit MCP server (patrickomatik/mcp-file-edit). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from MCP File Edit, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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32 MCP File Edit tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.