AI agents call scan_tools to retrieve information from Prompts without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This is a read-only operation that discovers and inventories existing project dependencies and tools. It generates informational output (capability list and recommendations) but does not create, modify, delete, execute code, or trigger external operations.
From the tool's definition Tool performs project scanning to enumerate installed tools (npm dependencies, MCP servers) and outputs a capability inventory.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
【工具扫描】扫描项目已安装的工具（npm 依赖、MCP Server），输出能力清单和使用建议。帮助用户快速了解可用工具。. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Prompts MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Prompts MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for scan_tools: 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 Prompts. Nothing to install.
scan_tools 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 scan_tools 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 scan_tools. 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.
scan_tools is provided by the Prompts MCP server (thana0623/pmcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
scan_tools is one line of Prompts's registry record.
The record carries the whole server: verified identity, auth posture, risk grade, every tool classified, recommended policy — re-checked continuously.
Teams ship this data inside their own products. See what a licence covers →