Get metadata and a preview of a Gmail attachment. Returns truncated base64 data (first 500 chars). For full attachment data or saving to file, use downloadGmailAttachment instead.
AI agents call getGmailAttachment to retrieve information from Google Workspace MCP Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This is a read operation that queries and retrieves Gmail attachment metadata and a preview of the content. It has no side effects—it neither modifies data, executes code, deletes content, nor involves financial transactions. The truncated nature of the returned data (500 chars) further limits its scope to information retrieval.
From the tool's definition Tool returns metadata and preview data (first 500 chars base64), which is retrieval without modification. Description explicitly states it provides preview/truncated data only.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Get metadata and a preview of a Gmail attachment. Returns truncated base64 data (first 500 chars). For full attachment data or saving to file, use downloadGmailAttachment instead. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Google Workspace MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Google Workspace MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for getGmailAttachment: 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 Google Workspace MCP Server. Nothing to install.
getGmailAttachment 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 getGmailAttachment 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 getGmailAttachment. 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.
getGmailAttachment is provided by the Google Workspace MCP Server MCP server (pm990320/google-workspace-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
getGmailAttachment is one line of Google Workspace MCP Server's registry record.
The record carries the whole server: verified identity, auth posture, risk grade, every tool classified, recommended policy — re-checked continuously.
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