nlq_query

Ask a natural language question and get structured ServiceNow data (ServiceNow NLQ API)

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/nlq-query.md

WHAT IT DOES

What nlq_query does on ServiceNow MCP Server

AI agents call nlq_query 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 nlq_query is rated Low

This tool retrieves and returns ServiceNow data in response to natural language questions. It has no side effects like creating, modifying, or deleting records. However, the severity is medium rather than low because natural language query interfaces can potentially be abused to access sensitive information across ServiceNow if the underlying data governance is weak, and AI agents might formulate queries to extract…

From the tool's definition Tool description states 'Ask a natural language question and get structured ServiceNow data' — retrieves/queries data without modification. The NLQ API designation confirms it is a query interface.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

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

nlq_query Allowed

nlq_query 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": {
    "nlq_query": {}
  }
}

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 nlq_query call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about nlq_query

What does the nlq_query tool do? +

Ask a natural language question and get structured ServiceNow data (ServiceNow NLQ API). 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 nlq_query? +

Register the ServiceNow MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for nlq_query: 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 nlq_query? +

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

Can I rate-limit nlq_query? +

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

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

nlq_query 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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