Fetch the full transcript/captions of a YouTube video with timestamps. Returns both individual segments with timing and the full concatenated text. No API key needed.
AI agents call get_transcript to retrieve information from YouTube MCP Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves and queries public video transcript data without altering it or executing any operations. It is a straightforward data retrieval function with no side effects, matching the 'Read' category definition. The severity is low because transcripts are typically public metadata with minimal sensitivity or blast radius if accessed by an AI agent.
From the tool's definition Tool description states 'Fetch the full transcript/captions of a YouTube video' and 'Returns both individual segments with timing and the full concatenated text.' No modification, execution, deletion, or financial operations are performed.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Fetch the full transcript/captions of a YouTube video with timestamps. Returns both individual segments with timing and the full concatenated text. No API key needed. It is categorised as a Read tool in the YouTube MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the YouTube MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_transcript: 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 YouTube MCP Server. Nothing to install.
get_transcript 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_transcript 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_transcript. 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_transcript is provided by the YouTube MCP Server MCP server (wynandw87/claude-code-youtube-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.
Type a name, get the same breakdown: verified identity, auth posture, risk grade, capabilities, recommended policy.
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