Composite "should I add this npm package to my project" check in ONE call — fans out across deps.dev (license + advisories + version history) and bundlephobia (gzipped/minified bundle size, dependency count, ESM/tree-shake support). Use whenever an agent asks "is X safe / popular / small" or "wha...
AI agents call scan_dependency to retrieve information from Spaceflight News MCP without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
package | string | Yes | npm package name. Scoped packages (e.g. "@types/node") are accepted. |
version | string | — | Specific version to check (e.g., "18.3.1"). Defaults to the latest published version when omitted. |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
scan_dependency retrieves and aggregates information about npm packages from public registries and analysis services. It has no side effects—it does not install, modify, delete, or execute code. The tool is purely informational, helping agents evaluate package safety and characteristics before any action is taken. This is a straightforward Read operation with minimal risk.
From the tool's definition Tool description states it performs checks across deps.dev (license + advisories + version history) and bundlephobia (bundle size, dependency count, ESM/tree-shake support).
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Composite "should I add this npm package to my project" check in ONE call — fans out across deps.dev (license + advisories + version history) and bundlephobia (gzipped/minified bundle size, dependency count, ESM/tree-shake support). Use whenever an agent asks "is X safe / popular / small" or "what does adding lodash cost me". Returns a summary block (is_latest, license, published_at, advisory_count, bundle_kb_min, bundle_kb_gz, dependency_count, has_esm, tree_shakeable), per-advisory detail, links, and a list of recent alternative versions. NPM ecosystem only in v1; PyPI / Maven / Cargo / Go fall under deps.dev:version directly. Partial failures degrade gracefully — bundlephobia's first measurement on a new version can take 5-30s; sources_failed will list it if it times out, the rest still returns. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Spaceflight News MCP MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
scan_dependency accepts 2 parameters: package, version. Required: package. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the Spaceflight News MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for scan_dependency: 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 Spaceflight News MCP. Nothing to install.
scan_dependency 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 scan_dependency 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 scan_dependency. 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.
scan_dependency is provided by the Spaceflight News MCP server (pipeworx-io/mcp-spaceflight-news). 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.
Teams ship this data inside their own products. See what a licence covers →