Low Risk

browser_take_screenshot

Capture a screenshot of the current page

Part of the Playwright MCP server. Enforce policies on this tool with Intercept, the open-source MCP proxy.

AI agents call browser_take_screenshot to retrieve information from Playwright without modifying any data. This is common in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows where the agent needs context before taking action. Because read operations don't change state, they are generally safe to allow without restrictions -- but you may still want rate limits to control API costs.

Even though browser_take_screenshot only reads data, uncontrolled read access can leak sensitive information or rack up API costs. An agent caught in a retry loop could make thousands of calls per minute. A rate limit gives you a safety net without blocking legitimate use.

Read-only tools are safe to allow by default. No rate limit needed unless you want to control costs.

playwright.yaml
tools:
  browser_take_screenshot:
    rules:
      - action: allow

See the full Playwright policy for all 25 tools.

Tool Name browser_take_screenshot
Category Read
Risk Level Low

View all 25 tools →

Agents calling read-class tools like browser_take_screenshot have been implicated in these attack patterns. Read the full case and prevention policy for each:

Browse the full MCP Attack Database →

Other tools in the Read risk category across the catalogue. The same policy patterns (rate-limit, allow) apply to each.

What does the browser_take_screenshot tool do? +

Capture a screenshot of the current page. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Playwright MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on browser_take_screenshot? +

Add a rule in your Intercept YAML policy under the tools section for browser_take_screenshot. You can allow, deny, rate-limit, or validate arguments. Then run Intercept as a proxy in front of the Playwright MCP server.

What risk level is browser_take_screenshot? +

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

Can I rate-limit browser_take_screenshot? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the browser_take_screenshot rule in your Intercept 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 browser_take_screenshot completely? +

Set action: deny in the Intercept policy for browser_take_screenshot. 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 browser_take_screenshot? +

browser_take_screenshot is provided by the Playwright MCP server (@microsoft/playwright-mcp). Intercept sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policies on Playwright

Open source. One binary. Zero dependencies.

npx -y @policylayer/intercept
github.com/policylayer/intercept →
// GET IN TOUCH

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