Enumerate every Obsidian canvas file (.canvas) anywhere in the vault, returning a numbered list of relative paths and the total count. Takes no parameters — scans the entire vault. Use to discover available canvases before calling read_canvas, add_canvas_node, or add_canvas_edge.
AI agents call list_canvases to retrieve information from Obsidian Mcp Pro without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
list_canvases performs a discovery/enumeration function that queries the vault structure and returns metadata (file paths and count). It neither modifies data, executes code, deletes anything, nor commits financial actions. This is a straightforward Read operation with minimal blast radius even if misused by an agent.
From the tool's definition Tool enumerates canvas files and returns a list of paths with no parameters. Description explicitly states it 'scans the entire vault' to 'discover available canvases' — a retrieval operation with no modification or side effects.
Risk signalsBulk/mass operation — affects multiple targets
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access list_canvases gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Obsidian Mcp Pro, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for list_canvases:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"list_canvases": {}
}
}list_canvases is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Enumerate every Obsidian canvas file (.canvas) anywhere in the vault, returning a numbered list of relative paths and the total count. Takes no parameters — scans the entire vault. Use to discover available canvases before calling read_canvas, add_canvas_node, or add_canvas_edge. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Obsidian Mcp Pro MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Obsidian Mcp Pro MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_canvases: 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 Obsidian Mcp Pro. Nothing to install.
list_canvases 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_canvases 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_canvases. 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_canvases is provided by the Obsidian Mcp Pro MCP server (rps321321/obsidian-mcp-pro). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Obsidian Mcp Pro, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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41 Obsidian Mcp Pro tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.