Checks whether a specific ROS2 topic is actively publishing messages.
AI agents call check_topic_status to retrieve information from ROS MCP without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool performs a passive status check on ROS2 topics, retrieving information about whether a topic is publishing. It has no capability to modify, delete, execute commands, or trigger actions. The operation is purely observational and safe, making it a Read category risk with low severity.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'check_topic_status' and description 'Checks whether a specific ROS2 topic is actively publishing messages' indicates a read-only query operation that observes topic state without modification or side effects.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access check_topic_status gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and ROS MCP, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for check_topic_status:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"check_topic_status": {}
}
}check_topic_status is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Checks whether a specific ROS2 topic is actively publishing messages. It is categorised as a Read tool in the ROS MCP MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the ROS MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for check_topic_status: 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 ROS MCP. Nothing to install.
check_topic_status 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 check_topic_status 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 check_topic_status. 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.
check_topic_status is provided by the ROS MCP server (yutarop/ros-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 24 ROS MCP tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
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24 ROS MCP tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.