AI agents call list_agents to retrieve information from ZMCPTools without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves information about active agents in the multi-agent orchestration platform without modifying, executing, or deleting any data. It is purely informational and carries minimal risk if misused by an AI agent—the worst outcome would be information disclosure about which agents are running, which is low severity.
From the tool's definition Tool name is 'list_agents' with description 'Get list of active agents'. The verb 'list' and 'get' indicate a retrieval operation with no side effects.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access list_agents gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and ZMCPTools, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for list_agents:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"list_agents": {}
}
}list_agents is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Get list of active agents. It is categorised as a Read tool in the ZMCPTools MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the ZMCPTools MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_agents: 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 ZMCPTools. Nothing to install.
list_agents 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 list_agents 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 list_agents. 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.
list_agents is provided by the ZMCPTools MCP server (zachhandley/zmcptools). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 70 ZMCPTools tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
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70 ZMCPTools tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.