Low Risk

search_symbols

symbol-first search with exact-name resolution, wildcard support, and separate article results.

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

AI agents call search_symbols to retrieve information from Apple Doc 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 search_symbols 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.

apple-doc.yaml
tools:
  search_symbols:
    rules:
      - action: allow

See the full Apple Doc policy for all 6 tools.

Tool Name search_symbols
Category Read
Risk Level Low

Agents calling read-class tools like search_symbols 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 search_symbols tool do? +

symbol-first search with exact-name resolution, wildcard support, and separate article results.. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Apple Doc MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on search_symbols? +

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

What risk level is search_symbols? +

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

Can I rate-limit search_symbols? +

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

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

search_symbols is provided by the Apple Doc MCP server (apple-doc-mcp-server). Intercept sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policies on Apple Doc

Open source. One binary. Zero dependencies.

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

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