Capture an accessibility tree snapshot of the page with @eN refs for element selection. Use when the user wants to see the page structure, find elements to interact with, or get refs for click/fill/hover. This is the primary way to understand what is on the page. Refs from this snapshot are used ...
AI agents call pilot_snapshot to retrieve information from Pilot without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
pilot_snapshot performs read-only retrieval of page structure data via accessibility tree snapshots. It has no capability to modify state, execute code, delete data, or cause financial transactions. The tool is primarily an information-gathering mechanism used to understand page layout before other interaction tools are invoked.
From the tool's definition Tool description states it 'Capture[s] an accessibility tree snapshot of the page' and is used to 'see the page structure, find elements to interact with'. The parameters include only a selector for scoping, with no modification or execution capabilities.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access pilot_snapshot gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Pilot, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for pilot_snapshot:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"pilot_snapshot": {}
}
}pilot_snapshot is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Capture an accessibility tree snapshot of the page with @eN refs for element selection. Use when the user wants to see the page structure, find elements to interact with, or get refs for click/fill/hover. This is the primary way to understand what is on the page. Refs from this snapshot are used by pilot_click, pilot_fill, pilot_hover, pilot_select_option, and most other interaction tools. Parameters: - selector: CSS selector to scope the snapshot to a specific subtree (e.g.,. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Pilot MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Pilot MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for pilot_snapshot: 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 Pilot. Nothing to install.
pilot_snapshot 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 pilot_snapshot 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 pilot_snapshot. 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.
pilot_snapshot is provided by the Pilot MCP server (tacosyhorchata/pilot). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 61 Pilot tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
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61 Pilot tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.