list_action_instances

List reusable Flow Designer action instances available in the environment

SERVERServiceNow MCP Server SOURCE@aartiq/servicenow-mcp

Low RISK CLASS

Category Read

Parameters 00 required

Recommended Allowedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity verified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/servicenow-mcp-server/list-action-instances.md

WHAT IT DOES

What list_action_instances does on ServiceNow MCP Server

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

RISK

Why list_action_instances is rated Low

This tool retrieves or enumerates existing Flow Designer action instances from the ServiceNow environment. It performs information discovery with no modifications, deletions, or execution of actions. This is a classic read operation that returns data about available automation components, making it low risk if an AI agent uses it to explore the environment.

From the tool's definition 'List reusable Flow Designer action instances' - the verb 'list' and the retrieval of existing instances indicates a query operation with no side effects.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs list_action_instances safely

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and ServiceNow MCP Server, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For list_action_instances, this is the rule to start with:

list_action_instances Allowed

list_action_instances is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "list_action_instances": {}
  }
}

ALLOW ONLY THIS TOOL → Instant setup, no code required.

The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect ServiceNow MCP Server, apply this rule, and every list_action_instances call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about list_action_instances

What does the list_action_instances tool do? +

List reusable Flow Designer action instances available in the environment. It is categorised as a Read tool in the ServiceNow MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on list_action_instances? +

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

What risk level is list_action_instances? +

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

Can I rate-limit list_action_instances? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the list_action_instances 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 list_action_instances completely? +

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

list_action_instances is provided by the ServiceNow MCP Server MCP server (@aartiq/servicenow-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

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