AI agents call list_uc_catalogs to retrieve information from MCP Databricks Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool appears to retrieve metadata about Unity Catalog catalogs in Databricks. Listing catalogs is a read-only operation with no side effects—it queries existing data structures without creating, modifying, or deleting anything. The blast radius of misuse is low; an AI could at worst enumerate available catalogs, exposing catalog names but not causing damage or data loss.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'list_uc_catalogs' indicates a listing/query operation without modification capability. No description provided, but the pattern matches sibling tools (describe_uc_catalog, describe_uc_schema, describe_uc_table) which are clearly introspective and…
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access list_uc_catalogs gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and MCP Databricks Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for list_uc_catalogs:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"list_uc_catalogs": {}
}
}list_uc_catalogs is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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list_uc_catalogs. It is categorised as a Read tool in the MCP Databricks Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the MCP Databricks Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_uc_catalogs: 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 MCP Databricks Server. Nothing to install.
list_uc_catalogs 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 list_uc_catalogs 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 list_uc_catalogs. 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.
list_uc_catalogs is provided by the MCP Databricks Server MCP server (rafaelcartenet/mcp-databricks-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 5 MCP Databricks Server tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
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5 MCP Databricks Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.