Low Risk

read_semantic_paper

Read and extract text content from a Semantic Scholar paper. Args: paper_id: Semantic Scholar paper ID, Paper identifier in one of the following formats: - Semantic Scholar ID (e.g., "649def34f8be52c8b66281af98ae884c09aef38b") - DOI:<doi> (e.g., "DOI:10.18653...

Part of the Paper Search MCP server. Enforce policies on this tool with Intercept, the open-source MCP proxy.

AI agents call read_semantic_paper to retrieve information from Paper Search without modifying any data. This is common in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows where the agent needs context before taking action. Because read operations don't change state, they are generally safe to allow without restrictions -- but you may still want rate limits to control API costs.

Even though read_semantic_paper only reads data, uncontrolled read access can leak sensitive information or rack up API costs. An agent caught in a retry loop could make thousands of calls per minute. A rate limit gives you a safety net without blocking legitimate use.

Read-only tools are safe to allow by default. No rate limit needed unless you want to control costs.

adamamer20-paper-search-mcp-openai.yaml
tools:
  read_semantic_paper:
    rules:
      - action: allow

See the full Paper Search policy for all 25 tools.

Tool Name read_semantic_paper
Category Read
Risk Level Low

View all 25 tools →

Agents calling read-class tools like read_semantic_paper have been implicated in these attack patterns. Read the full case and prevention policy for each:

Browse the full MCP Attack Database →

Other tools in the Read risk category across the catalogue. The same policy patterns (rate-limit, allow) apply to each.

What does the read_semantic_paper tool do? +

Read and extract text content from a Semantic Scholar paper. Args: paper_id: Semantic Scholar paper ID, Paper identifier in one of the following formats: - Semantic Scholar ID (e.g., "649def34f8be52c8b66281af98ae884c09aef38b") - DOI:<doi> (e.g., "DOI:10.18653/v1/N18-3011") - ARXIV:<id> (e.g., "ARXIV:2106.15928") - MAG:<id> (e.g., "MAG:112218234") - ACL:<id> (e.g., "ACL:W12-3903") - PMID:<id> (e.g., "PMID:19872477") - PMCID:<id> (e.g., "PMCID:2323736") - URL:<url> (e.g., "URL:https://arxiv.org/abs/2106.15928v1") save_path: Directory where the PDF is/will be saved (default: './downloads'). Returns: str: The extracted text content of the paper. . It is categorised as a Read tool in the Paper Search MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on read_semantic_paper? +

Add a rule in your Intercept YAML policy under the tools section for read_semantic_paper. You can allow, deny, rate-limit, or validate arguments. Then run Intercept as a proxy in front of the Paper Search MCP server.

What risk level is read_semantic_paper? +

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

Can I rate-limit read_semantic_paper? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the read_semantic_paper rule in your Intercept 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 read_semantic_paper completely? +

Set action: deny in the Intercept policy for read_semantic_paper. 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 read_semantic_paper? +

read_semantic_paper is provided by the Paper Search MCP server (adamamer20/paper-search-mcp-openai). Intercept sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policies on Paper Search

Open source. One binary. Zero dependencies.

npx -y @policylayer/intercept
github.com/policylayer/intercept →
// GET IN TOUCH

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