AI agents call get_recent_work_items to retrieve information from Ado without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool queries and retrieves recently modified work items from Azure DevOps without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing any operations. It is a read-only data retrieval function with minimal security risk. The low severity reflects that unauthorized access could expose project metadata and work item information, but does not enable destructive or financial actions.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'get_recent_work_items' and description 'Get work items created or modified recently' indicate a retrieval operation with no side effects.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Get work items created or modified recently. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Ado MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Ado MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_recent_work_items: 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 Ado. Nothing to install.
get_recent_work_items 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 get_recent_work_items 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 get_recent_work_items. 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.
get_recent_work_items is provided by the Ado MCP server (raboley/ado-mcp). 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 →