Low Risk

get_departments

Reference data: get all department title codes for use as filter values in people searches (free, no credits)

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

AI agents call get_departments to retrieve information from Pubrio 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 get_departments 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.

pubrio.yaml
tools:
  get_departments:
    rules:
      - action: allow

See the full Pubrio policy for all 51 tools.

Tool Name get_departments
Category Read
MCP Server Pubrio MCP Server
Risk Level Low

View all 51 tools →

Agents calling read-class tools like get_departments 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 get_departments tool do? +

Reference data: get all department title codes for use as filter values in people searches (free, no credits). It is categorised as a Read tool in the Pubrio MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on get_departments? +

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

What risk level is get_departments? +

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

Can I rate-limit get_departments? +

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

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

get_departments is provided by the Pubrio MCP server (pubrio-mcp-server). Intercept sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policies on Pubrio

Open source. One binary. Zero dependencies.

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

Have a question or want to learn more? Send us a message.

Message sent.

We'll get back to you soon.