List all visible windows on screen with their app name, title, position, and size.
AI agents call list_windows to retrieve information from Computer Use MCP Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool performs a pure information retrieval operation. It queries the desktop state to enumerate visible windows and their properties. There are no write operations, code execution, deletions, or financial transactions. The only potential risk is information disclosure if sensitive window titles or app names are exposed, but this is a baseline desktop capability with minimal blast radius.
From the tool's definition Tool description states 'List all visible windows on screen' — a read-only query operation that retrieves window metadata (app name, title, position, size) with no modification or side effects.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
List all visible windows on screen with their app name, title, position, and size. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Computer Use MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Computer Use MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_windows: 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 Computer Use MCP Server. Nothing to install.
list_windows 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_windows 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_windows. 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_windows is provided by the Computer Use MCP Server MCP server (syedazharmbnr1/computer-use-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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