AI agents call get_submission_status to retrieve information from Synapse without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool queries the status of an existing submission entity. The verb 'get' and the action of retrieving status information without modifying data or triggering external operations classify this as a Read operation. The sibling tools on this server (get_curation_task, get_entity_acl, get_entity_annotations, etc.) are all Read operations, confirming the pattern.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'get_submission_status' and description 'Get status of a Submission' indicate a retrieval operation with no modification or side effects.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Get status of a Submission. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Synapse MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Synapse MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_submission_status: 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 Synapse. Nothing to install.
get_submission_status 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_submission_status 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_submission_status. 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_submission_status is provided by the Synapse MCP server (sage-bionetworks/synapse-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.
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