AI agents call proxy__eth_getCode to retrieve information from Etherscan MCP without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves smart contract bytecode from a specified Ethereum address. It is a pure read operation that queries immutable blockchain state without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing anything. The action has no side effects and poses minimal risk even if misused by an AI agent, as it only exposes publicly available data already visible on the blockchain.
From the tool's definition Tool description states 'Returns code at a given address' — a query operation that retrieves bytecode from the Ethereum blockchain with no modification or side effects. Etherscan is a public blockchain explorer providing read-only access to blockchain data.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access proxy__eth_getCode gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Etherscan MCP, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for proxy__eth_getCode:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"proxy__eth_getCode": {}
}
} proxy__eth_getCode is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Returns code at a given address. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Etherscan MCP MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Etherscan MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for proxy__eth_getCode: 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 Etherscan MCP. Nothing to install.
proxy__eth_getCode 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 proxy__eth_getCode 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 proxy__eth_getCode. 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.
proxy__eth_getCode is provided by the Etherscan MCP server (xiaok/etherscan-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Etherscan MCP, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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56 Etherscan MCP tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.