list_releases
AI agents call list_releases to retrieve information from GitHub MCP Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
List operations retrieve and enumerate existing data with no side effects. The tool queries release information from a GitHub repository, consistent with Read category tools like 'list_*' across API servers. No creation, modification, deletion, execution, or financial impact is evident from the name.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'list_releases' performs a retrieval operation typical of list/query verbs. The description is empty, but the semantic meaning of 'list_' is universally a read-only operation that queries and returns data about releases without modification.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
list_releases. It is categorised as a Read tool in the GitHub MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the GitHub MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_releases: 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 GitHub MCP Server. Nothing to install.
list_releases 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 list_releases 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 list_releases. 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.
list_releases is provided by the GitHub MCP Server MCP server (software-engineer-mj/github-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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