List Zotero groups the user belongs to. Returns group IDs for use with group_id params.
AI agents call list_groups to retrieve information from Zotero Assistant without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves metadata about groups the user is a member of and returns identifiers. It does not modify, execute operations, or delete anything. It is a pure read operation analogous to list or get operations, making it a Read category tool with low severity since it only exposes group membership information that the user already has access to.
From the tool's definition Tool name is 'list_groups' and description states it 'List Zotero groups the user belongs to' and 'Returns group IDs' — this is a query/retrieval operation with no side effects.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
List Zotero groups the user belongs to. Returns group IDs for use with group_id params. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Zotero Assistant MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Zotero Assistant MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_groups: 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 Zotero Assistant. Nothing to install.
list_groups 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_groups 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_groups. 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_groups is provided by the Zotero Assistant MCP server (upascal/zotero-assistant-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
list_groups is one line of Zotero Assistant's registry record.
The record carries the whole server: verified identity, auth posture, risk grade, every tool classified, recommended policy — re-checked continuously.
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