Gets a list of all work item types in a project. Use this tool when you need to: - See what work item types are available in a project - Get reference names for work item types to use in other operations - Plan work item creation by understanding available types Args: project: Project ID or proje...
AI agents call get_work_item_types to retrieve information from MCP Azure DevOps Server 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 available work item types without modifying, deleting, or executing any operations. It is a simple query/list operation that provides reference information to support planning. The result is read-only data with no side effects. This aligns clearly with the Read category for tools that retrieve or query data.
From the tool's definition Tool description explicitly states it 'Gets a list of all work item types in a project' and returns 'A formatted table of all work item types with names, reference names, and descriptions'.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access get_work_item_types gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and MCP Azure DevOps Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for get_work_item_types:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"get_work_item_types": {}
}
}get_work_item_types is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Gets a list of all work item types in a project. Use this tool when you need to: - See what work item types are available in a project - Get reference names for work item types to use in other operations - Plan work item creation by understanding available types Args: project: Project ID or project name Returns: A formatted table of all work item types with names, reference names, and descriptions. It is categorised as a Read tool in the MCP Azure DevOps Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the MCP Azure DevOps Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_work_item_types: 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 MCP Azure DevOps Server. Nothing to install.
get_work_item_types 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 get_work_item_types 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 get_work_item_types. 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.
get_work_item_types is provided by the MCP Azure DevOps Server MCP server (vortiago/mcp-azure-devops). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 21 MCP Azure DevOps Server tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
Free to start. No card required.
21 MCP Azure DevOps Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.