list_widget_instances

List instances of a specific widget placed on portal pages

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-widget-instances.md

WHAT IT DOES

What list_widget_instances does on ServiceNow MCP Server

AI agents call list_widget_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_widget_instances is rated Low

This tool queries and returns information about widget instances on portal pages. It performs a read-only operation with no side effects, no code execution, no data modification, and no irreversible actions. The blast radius of misuse is minimal—an agent could only retrieve existing metadata about widget placements, which poses low security risk.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'list_widget_instances' and description 'List instances of a specific widget placed on portal pages' indicate a retrieval operation with no modification or deletion of data.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs list_widget_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_widget_instances, this is the rule to start with:

list_widget_instances Allowed

list_widget_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_widget_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_widget_instances call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about list_widget_instances

What does the list_widget_instances tool do? +

List instances of a specific widget placed on portal pages. 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_widget_instances? +

Register the ServiceNow MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_widget_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_widget_instances? +

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

Can I rate-limit list_widget_instances? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the list_widget_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_widget_instances completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for list_widget_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_widget_instances? +

list_widget_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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