browse_and_select_database

THE RISK

Low Risk

Why browse_and_select_database needs a policy

The tool performs a read-only operation to browse and enumerate available databases, allowing selection from a list. There are no side effects, data modifications, or irreversible actions. This is equivalent to listing available resources, which is a fundamental Read operation.

From the tool's definition Tool name and description indicate browsing and selecting a database from a directory with numbered options. This is a query/navigation operation with no data modification, deletion, or command execution.

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access browse_and_select_database gives an agent:

POLICY

How to control browse_and_select_database

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and MCP Data Visualization Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for browse_and_select_database:

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "browse_and_select_database": {}
  }
}

browse_and_select_database is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

Create a free account and register MCP Data Visualization Server — nothing to install.
Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.

CAP THIS TOOL →

Free to start. No card required.

EXPLORE

Related tools and policies

More MCP Data Visualization Server tools

Execute query_data Execute a SQL query on the database and return results Write change_database Connect to a different DuckDB database file Write load_csv_data Load CSV file into the database as a new table Write configure_chart Configure chart parameters by answering column selection questions Write create_interactive_dashboard Generate an interactive HTML dashboard with filtering controls and multiple visualizations Write create_sample_chart Create a sample chart for testing (useful for development) Write create_visualization Start creating a data visualization from natural language request Write select_database_by_number Select a database by its number from the browse results

All 28 MCP Data Visualization Server tools →

Read tools on other servers

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Go deeper

The MCP Attack Database → Documented attack patterns against MCP deployments — and the policies that stop them.
Data exfiltration → How read access becomes an exfiltration channel when chained with untrusted content.
MCP token cost → What connecting this server costs in context-window tokens on every request.
Rate Limiting MCP Tool Calls: A Practical Guide →
MCP Security: Why Prompt Guardrails Aren't Enough →

FAQ

Questions about browse_and_select_database

What does the browse_and_select_database tool do? +

Interactively browse and select a database from a directory with numbered options. It is categorised as a Read tool in the MCP Data Visualization Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on browse_and_select_database? +

Register the MCP Data Visualization Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for browse_and_select_database: 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 Data Visualization Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is browse_and_select_database? +

browse_and_select_database is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.

Can I rate-limit browse_and_select_database? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the browse_and_select_database 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.

How do I block browse_and_select_database completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for browse_and_select_database. 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.

What MCP server provides browse_and_select_database? +

browse_and_select_database is provided by the MCP Data Visualization Server MCP server (xoniks/mcp-visualization-duckdb). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every MCP Data Visualization Server tool call.

Start from MCP Data Visualization Server, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.

CHECK YOUR STACK →