Low Risk

list_catalogs

List available Databricks catalogs

How to control list_catalogs ↓

What list_catalogs does on MCP Data Visualization Server

AI agents call list_catalogs to retrieve information from MCP Data Visualization Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

Low Risk

Why list_catalogs needs a policy

This tool performs a read-only operation that retrieves information about available catalogs in Databricks. It does not modify, delete, execute, or create any data or operations. The blast radius is minimal as it only returns informational metadata that would typically be accessible to authorized users. It is a safe introspection tool.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'list_catalogs' and description 'List available Databricks catalogs' indicate querying/retrieving catalog metadata with no side effects.

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

How to control list_catalogs

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 list_catalogs:

policy.json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "list_catalogs": {}
  }
}

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

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

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Questions about list_catalogs

What does the list_catalogs tool do? +

List available Databricks catalogs. 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 list_catalogs? +

Register the MCP Data Visualization Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_catalogs: 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 list_catalogs? +

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

Can I rate-limit list_catalogs? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the list_catalogs 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 list_catalogs completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for list_catalogs. 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 list_catalogs? +

list_catalogs 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.

Free to start. No card required.

28 MCP Data Visualization Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.

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