Reads the content of a specific email. Returns a short preview (255 chars) by default. Set fullBody=true to fetch the complete email body.
AI agents call read-email to retrieve information from Outlook Assistant without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves email data with no side effects. It allows fetching email content for viewing purposes only. The ability to read emails has low blast radius—misuse could expose sensitive information to the user/agent but cannot modify, delete, or execute actions on external systems. Severity is low because the exposure is limited to data the authenticated user already has access to via their own Outlook account.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'read-email' and description explicitly states it 'Reads the content of a specific email' with options for preview or full body retrieval. No modification, deletion, or execution capability described.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Reads the content of a specific email. Returns a short preview (255 chars) by default. Set fullBody=true to fetch the complete email body. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Outlook Assistant MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Outlook Assistant MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for read-email: 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 Outlook Assistant. Nothing to install.
read-email 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 read-email 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 read-email. 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.
read-email is provided by the Outlook Assistant MCP server (titanzero/outlook-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Every MCP server has a record like this.
Type a name, get the same breakdown: verified identity, auth posture, risk grade, capabilities, recommended policy.
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