List all running background processes
AI agents call list_background to retrieve information from Bash without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves and displays information about background processes without side effects. It is a read-only operation analogous to 'ps' or 'jobs' in shell. While the parent server enables dangerous Execute capabilities, this specific tool only lists/queries state and does not execute commands, modify processes, or destroy data.
From the tool's definition Tool name is 'list_background' and description states 'List all running background processes' — a query operation that retrieves process information without modifying or executing anything.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access list_background gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Bash, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for list_background:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"list_background": {}
}
}list_background is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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List all running background processes. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Bash MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Bash MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_background: 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 Bash. Nothing to install.
list_background 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_background 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_background. 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_background is provided by the Bash MCP server (tinywind/bash-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Bash, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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4 Bash tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.