Lists all files and directories in a specific Obsidian directory
AI agents call obsidian_list_files_in_dir to retrieve information from Advanced Obsidian MCP Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool performs a directory listing operation, which is a read-only query that retrieves file/directory metadata without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing any operations. The blast radius if misused is minimal—an AI agent can only discover the vault's file structure, not alter it.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'obsidian_list_files_in_dir' and description 'Lists all files and directories in a specific Obsidian directory' indicate a retrieval operation with no side effects.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access obsidian_list_files_in_dir gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Advanced Obsidian MCP Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for obsidian_list_files_in_dir:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"obsidian_list_files_in_dir": {}
}
}obsidian_list_files_in_dir is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Lists all files and directories in a specific Obsidian directory. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Advanced Obsidian MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Advanced Obsidian MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for obsidian_list_files_in_dir: 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 Advanced Obsidian MCP Server. Nothing to install.
obsidian_list_files_in_dir 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 obsidian_list_files_in_dir 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 obsidian_list_files_in_dir. 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.
obsidian_list_files_in_dir is provided by the Advanced Obsidian MCP Server MCP server (tokidoo/mcp-obsidian-advanced). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Advanced Obsidian MCP Server, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
Free to start. No card required.
16 Advanced Obsidian MCP Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.