Low Risk

list_scans

List all recent security scans tracked locally with their status.

How to control list_scans ↓

What list_scans does on Prometheus MCP Server

AI agents call list_scans to retrieve information from Prometheus MCP Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

Low Risk

Why list_scans needs a policy

This tool retrieves and displays historical security scan data from a local store. It has no side effects—it does not create, modify, delete, or execute any operations. The information is read-only. Severity is low because the worst-case misuse would expose security scan metadata, which while potentially sensitive, does not enable direct system compromise or data destruction.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'list_scans' combined with description 'List all recent security scans tracked locally with their status' indicates a retrieval operation. The verb 'list' and phrase 'with their status' confirm querying existing data without modification.

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

How to control list_scans

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

policy.json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "list_scans": {}
  }
}

list_scans is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

  1. Create a free account and register Prometheus MCP Server — nothing to install.
  2. Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
  3. Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.
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Related tools and policies

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Questions about list_scans

What does the list_scans tool do? +

List all recent security scans tracked locally with their status. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Prometheus MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on list_scans? +

Register the Prometheus MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_scans: 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 Prometheus MCP Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is list_scans? +

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

Can I rate-limit list_scans? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the list_scans 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 list_scans completely? +

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

list_scans is provided by the Prometheus MCP Server MCP server (awslabs.prometheus-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Prometheus MCP Server tool call.

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

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805 Prometheus MCP Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.

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