AI agents call app_list to retrieve information from uiautomator2 MCP Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves application information from the device without modifying, deleting, or executing any operations. It is a read-only enumeration of apps, similar to 'app_list_running' and 'app_info' which are clearly informational. The lack of descriptive text slightly reduces confidence, but the tool name and sibling context strongly suggest it performs a simple list/query operation with no side effects.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'app_list' with context of sibling tools like 'app_list_running', 'app_info', and 'app_current' indicates this lists or queries installed/running applications on the Android device.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access app_list gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and uiautomator2 MCP Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for app_list:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"app_list": {}
}
}app_list is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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app_list. It is categorised as a Read tool in the uiautomator2 MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the uiautomator2 MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for app_list: 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 uiautomator2 MCP Server. Nothing to install.
app_list 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 app_list 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 app_list. 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.
app_list is provided by the uiautomator2 MCP Server MCP server (tanbro/uiautomator2-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from uiautomator2 MCP Server, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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77 uiautomator2 MCP Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.