List all currently running or recently finished processes. Processes are removed from this list once their results have been accessed via the poll tool.
AI agents call list_processes to retrieve information from Async Bash without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves process status information without modifying, executing, or deleting anything. It has minimal blast radius if misused by an AI agent—the worst outcome would be information disclosure about process state. While it could reveal sensitive information about running commands if processes contain secrets, the act itself is purely observational and non-destructive.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'list_processes' and description 'List all currently running or recently finished processes' indicate a retrieval-only operation with no side effects.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access list_processes gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Async Bash, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for list_processes:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"list_processes": {}
}
}list_processes is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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List all currently running or recently finished processes. Processes are removed from this list once their results have been accessed via the poll tool. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Async Bash MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Async Bash MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_processes: 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 Async Bash. Nothing to install.
list_processes 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_processes 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_processes. 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_processes is provided by the Async Bash MCP server (xhuw/async-bash-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Async Bash, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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3 Async Bash tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.