list_formulas

THE RISK

Low Risk

Why list_formulas needs a policy

This tool retrieves metadata about formulas (names and IDs) from a document without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing any operations. It is a pure read operation with minimal risk if misused by an AI agent.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'list_formulas' and description 'List all named formulas in a Coda doc with their names and IDs' indicate a retrieval operation with no side effects.

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access list_formulas gives an agent:

POLICY

How to control list_formulas

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Coda, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for list_formulas:

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "list_formulas": {}
  }
}

list_formulas is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

Create a free account and register Coda — nothing to install.
Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.

CAP THIS TOOL →

Free to start. No card required.

EXPLORE

Related tools and policies

More Coda tools

Destructive delete_doc Permanently delete a Coda doc by ID - use with extreme caution as this cannot be undone Destructive delete_page Delete a page from a Coda doc by its ID or name Destructive delete_row Delete a specific row from a table by its ID or name Destructive delete_rows Delete multiple rows from a table at once using a list of row IDs Execute begin_page_content_export begin_page_content_export Write create_doc create_doc Write create_page create_page Write update_doc Update properties of a Coda doc including title and icon

All 24 Coda tools →

Read tools on other servers

M-Team MCP Server get_torrent_detail YouTube MCP Server search_channel Android Forensics ADB MCP Server parse_browser_history 0xarchive web3_challenge

Go deeper

The MCP Attack Database → Documented attack patterns against MCP deployments — and the policies that stop them.
Data exfiltration → How read access becomes an exfiltration channel when chained with untrusted content.
MCP token cost → What connecting this server costs in context-window tokens on every request.
Rate Limiting MCP Tool Calls: A Practical Guide →
MCP Security: Why Prompt Guardrails Aren't Enough →

FAQ

Questions about list_formulas

What does the list_formulas tool do? +

List all named formulas in a Coda doc with their names and IDs. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Coda MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on list_formulas? +

Register the Coda MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_formulas: 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 Coda. Nothing to install.

What risk level is list_formulas? +

list_formulas is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.

Can I rate-limit list_formulas? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the list_formulas 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.

How do I block list_formulas completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for list_formulas. 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.

What MCP server provides list_formulas? +

list_formulas is provided by the Coda MCP server (tjc-lp/coda-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Coda tool call.

Start from Coda, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.

CHECK YOUR STACK →