Lists the active governance rules for a specific scope, optionally filtered by entity_type (e.g.,
AI agents call get_governance_rules to retrieve information from Engrams without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool queries and returns governance rules for a scope without side effects. It is purely informational and does not create, modify, delete, or execute any operations. The filtering by entity_type is a read parameter, not an action that changes state.
From the tool's definition Tool name includes 'get_' and description states 'Lists the active governance rules' – a retrieval operation with no modification, deletion, or execution capability.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access get_governance_rules gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Engrams, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for get_governance_rules:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"get_governance_rules": {}
}
}get_governance_rules is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Lists the active governance rules for a specific scope, optionally filtered by entity_type (e.g.,. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Engrams MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Engrams MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_governance_rules: 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 Engrams. Nothing to install.
get_governance_rules 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_governance_rules 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_governance_rules. 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_governance_rules is provided by the Engrams MCP server (stevebrownlee/engrams). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Engrams, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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42 Engrams tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.