AI agents call list_attachments to retrieve information from TheBrain MCP Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves or queries data (attachments associated with a thought) with no side effects. It performs a listing/retrieval operation typical of Read category tools. The severity is low because the blast radius of misuse is limited—listing attachments poses minimal security risk compared to tools that modify, delete, or execute operations.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'list_attachments' and description 'List all attachments for a thought' indicate a read-only operation that retrieves and queries attachment metadata without modification.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access list_attachments gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and TheBrain MCP Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for list_attachments:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"list_attachments": {}
}
}list_attachments is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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List all attachments for a thought. It is categorised as a Read tool in the TheBrain MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the TheBrain MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_attachments: 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 TheBrain MCP Server. Nothing to install.
list_attachments 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_attachments 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_attachments. 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_attachments is provided by the TheBrain MCP Server MCP server (redmorestudio/thebrain-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from TheBrain 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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26 TheBrain MCP Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.