# search_places

A read tool on the AWS MCP server.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `search_places`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/search-places

## Facts

- Tool: `search_places`
- Server: AWS (`@awslabs/mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws.md
- Install: `npx -y @awslabs/mcp`
- Homepage: https://github.com/awslabs/mcp
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity verified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 0
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "search_places",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## 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 own definition: "Tool name 'search_places' indicates a query/search operation with no destructive capability suggested by the name alone."

## Use case

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.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches AWS:

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

## Other tools on AWS (299)

- `bulk_delete_by_criteria` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/bulk-delete-by-criteria.md
- `cache_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/cache-delete.md
- `cache_delete_many` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/cache-delete-many.md
- `cache_delete_multi` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/cache-delete-multi.md
- `cache_flush_all` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/cache-flush-all.md
- `delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete.md
- `delete_access_key` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-access-key.md
- `delete_datastore` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-datastore.md
- `delete_group` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-group.md
- `delete_image_set` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-image-set.md
- `delete_instance_in_series` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-instance-in-series.md
- `delete_instance_in_study` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-instance-in-study.md
- `delete_patient_studies` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-patient-studies.md
- `delete_resource` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-resource.md
- `delete_role_policy` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-role-policy.md
- `delete_series_by_uid` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-series-by-uid.md
- `delete_study` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-study.md
- `delete_user` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-user.md
- `delete_user_policy` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/delete-user-policy.md
- `detach_user_policy` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/detach-user-policy.md
- `json_arrtrim` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/json-arrtrim.md
- `json_clear` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/json-clear.md
- `json_del` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/json-del.md
- `list_pop_left` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/list-pop-left.md
- `list_trim` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/list-trim.md
- `remove_instance_from_image_set` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/remove-instance-from-image-set.md
- `remove_series_from_image_set` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/remove-series-from-image-set.md
- `set_pop` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/set-pop.md
- `sorted_set_remove_by_lex` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/sorted-set-remove-by-lex.md
- `sorted_set_remove_by_score` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aws/sorted-set-remove-by-score.md
- …and 269 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/aws.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

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Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=aws · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/aws