Retrieve a single user by sys_id, user_name, or email.
AI agents call get_user to retrieve information from Snow without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool performs a straightforward data retrieval operation by querying user records based on provided identifiers. It is non-destructive, does not modify any data, and presents minimal risk. The only information exposed would be user details already accessible to authenticated ServiceNow users, with blast radius limited to information disclosure of non-sensitive system user records.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'get_user' and description 'Retrieve a single user by sys_id, user_name, or email' indicate a query operation that retrieves user data without modification or side effects.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access get_user gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Snow, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for get_user:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"get_user": {}
}
}get_user is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Retrieve a single user by sys_id, user_name, or email. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Snow MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Snow MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_user: 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 Snow. Nothing to install.
get_user 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_user 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_user. 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_user is provided by the Snow MCP server (shunyaai/snow-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Snow, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
Free to start. No card required.
88 Snow tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.