search_places

A read tool on the AWS MCP server.

SERVERAWS SOURCE@awslabs/mcp

Low RISK CLASS

Category Read

Parameters 00 required

Recommended Allowedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity verified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/aws/search-places.md

WHAT IT DOES

What search_places does on AWS

AI agents call search_places to retrieve information from AWS without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

RISK

Why search_places is rated Low

Search operations are inherently read-only—they retrieve or query data without creating, modifying, or deleting anything. The empty description limits confidence slightly, but the semantic meaning of 'search' combined with the sibling tool context (AWS, IAM/audit operations) suggests this is a data retrieval function. Severity is low as search tools have minimal blast radius when misused by an AI agent.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'search_places' indicates a query/search operation with no destructive capability suggested by the name alone.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs search_places safely

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and AWS, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For search_places, this is the rule to start with:

search_places Allowed

search_places is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "search_places": {}
  }
}

ALLOW ONLY THIS TOOL → Instant setup, no code required.

The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect AWS, apply this rule, and every search_places call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about search_places

What does the search_places tool do? +

search_places is a read tool on the AWS MCP server. It is categorised as a Read tool in the AWS MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on search_places? +

Register the AWS MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for search_places: 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 AWS. Nothing to install.

What risk level is search_places? +

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

Can I rate-limit search_places? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the search_places 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.

How do I block search_places completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for search_places. 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_places? +

search_places is provided by the AWS MCP server (@awslabs/mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

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