Smart directory download with automatic compression and progress tracking. Automatically decides whether to use compression and background mode based on transfer characteristics.
AI agents call download_directory to retrieve information from Remote Terminal without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
Even though download_directory only reads data, uncontrolled read access leaks sensitive information and racks up API costs — an agent caught in a retry loop can make thousands of calls a minute without anyone noticing.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Smart directory download with automatic compression and progress tracking. Automatically decides whether to use compression and background mode based on transfer characteristics. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Remote Terminal MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Remote Terminal MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for download_directory: 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 Remote Terminal. Nothing to install.
download_directory 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 download_directory 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 download_directory. 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.
download_directory is provided by the Remote Terminal MCP server (tim00r/remote-terminal). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.