Low Risk

find_large_files

find_large_files

How to control find_large_files ↓

AI agents call find_large_files to retrieve information from MCP Filesystem Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

Low Risk

This tool searches for and identifies large files within a filesystem—a pure Read operation with no side effects. It retrieves metadata/file paths without creating, modifying, or deleting data. The lack of a description slightly reduces confidence, but the naming convention and context strongly suggest a discovery/query function consistent with filesystem introspection tools.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'find_large_files' indicates a search/discovery operation. Sibling tools on the filesystem server (calculate_directory_size, compare_files, directory_tree, grep_files, get_file_info) are all Read operations.

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access find_large_files gives an agent:

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and MCP Filesystem Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for find_large_files:

policy.json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "find_large_files": {}
  }
}

find_large_files is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

  1. Create a free account and register MCP Filesystem Server — nothing to install.
  2. Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
  3. Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.
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Go deeper

What does the find_large_files tool do? +

find_large_files. It is categorised as a Read tool in the MCP Filesystem Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on find_large_files? +

Register the MCP Filesystem Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for find_large_files: 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 Filesystem Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is find_large_files? +

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

Can I rate-limit find_large_files? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the find_large_files 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.

How do I block find_large_files completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for find_large_files. 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 find_large_files? +

find_large_files is provided by the MCP Filesystem Server MCP server (safurrier/mcp-filesystem). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every MCP Filesystem Server tool call.

Deterministic rules across all 21 MCP Filesystem Server tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.

Free to start. No card required.

21 MCP Filesystem Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.

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