Return a list of all currently active directory watches.
AI agents call list_active_watches to retrieve information from Filesystem Watcher MCP without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool simply returns information about existing watches. It retrieves metadata about what directories are being monitored but does not create, modify, delete, or trigger any side effects. It is a read-only information query with minimal security impact.
From the tool's definition The tool name 'list_active_watches' and description 'Return a list of all currently active directory watches' indicate a retrieval operation that queries the current state of watches without modifying or executing anything.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Return a list of all currently active directory watches. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Filesystem Watcher MCP MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Filesystem Watcher MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_active_watches: 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 Filesystem Watcher MCP. Nothing to install.
list_active_watches 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_active_watches 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_active_watches. 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_active_watches is provided by the Filesystem Watcher MCP server (trycatchkamal/filesystemwatcher-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.
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