Make an HTTP TRACE request for diagnostic tracing of the specified URL
AI agents call http_trace to retrieve information from MCP-RQuest without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
HTTP TRACE is a read-only diagnostic method that echoes back the received request, used for debugging/tracing purposes. It has no side effects on server-side data. The main risk is that it could be misused for cross-site tracing (XST) attacks to steal cookies, but as a standalone tool action it is a read operation with low blast radius.
From the tool's definition Make an HTTP TRACE request for diagnostic tracing of the specified URL
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access http_trace gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and MCP-RQuest, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for http_trace:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"http_trace": {}
}
}http_trace is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Make an HTTP TRACE request for diagnostic tracing of the specified URL. It is categorised as a Read tool in the MCP-RQuest MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the MCP-RQuest MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for http_trace: 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-RQuest. Nothing to install.
http_trace 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 http_trace 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 http_trace. 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.
http_trace is provided by the MCP-RQuest MCP server (xxxbrian/mcp-rquest). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 12 MCP-RQuest tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
Free to start. No card required.
12 MCP-RQuest tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.