Low Risk

search_knowledge_base

Search Appendix's medical knowledge base for clinical literature, treatment guidelines, and reference material to help the user describe their medical issue

Risk signalsAccepts freeform code/query input (query)

Part of the Appendix server.

search_knowledge_base is read-only, but an agent in a loop can still rack up calls and cost. PolicyLayer caps every call before it runs. Live in minutes.

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Free to start. No card required.

AI agents call search_knowledge_base to retrieve information from Appendix 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_knowledge_base 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.

policy.json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "search_knowledge_base": {}
  }
}

See the full Appendix policy for all 3 tools.

Get this rule live on your own Appendix server in minutes. PolicyLayer enforces it on every call, before it runs.

ENFORCE ON MY APPENDIX →

These attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access search_knowledge_base gives an agent. Each links to the full case and the policy that stops it:

Browse the full MCP Attack Database →

Every attack above starts with a tool call. PolicyLayer checks each one against your policy first, so search_knowledge_base only ever does what you allow.

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Other read tools across the catalogue. The same approach applies to each: allow, with a rate cap to control cost.

What does the search_knowledge_base tool do? +

Search Appendix's medical knowledge base for clinical literature, treatment guidelines, and reference material to help the user describe their medical issue. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Appendix MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on search_knowledge_base? +

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

What risk level is search_knowledge_base? +

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

Can I rate-limit search_knowledge_base? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the search_knowledge_base 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_knowledge_base completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for search_knowledge_base. 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_knowledge_base? +

search_knowledge_base is provided by the Appendix MCP server (https://mcp.appendix.com/mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Appendix tool call.

Deterministic rules across all 3 Appendix tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.

Free to start. No card required.

4,600+ MCP servers and 31,000+ tools scanned and risk-classified.

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