search_contacts
Searches the Mac's Contacts app (Contacts.app, local/iCloud) by name, email, or phone number. For a Microsoft 365 directory use m365_search_contacts or search_m365_directory instead.
This record as markdown: /tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/search-contacts.md
What search_contacts does on Local
AI agents call search_contacts to retrieve information from Local without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
limit | integer | — | Max results (default 50) |
query | string | Yes | Name, email, or phone to search for |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why search_contacts is rated Low
This tool retrieves contact information from a local or iCloud-based Contacts app without creating, modifying, or deleting any data. It is a simple query operation with no side effects.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'search_contacts' and description states it 'Searches the Mac's Contacts app' with parameters 'by name, email, or phone number'. The verb 'searches' and the fact it queries existing contact data without modification indicates a read-only operation.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs search_contacts safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Local, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For search_contacts, this is the rule to start with:
search_contacts is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Local, apply this rule, and every search_contacts call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about search_contacts
Searches the Mac's Contacts app (Contacts.app, local/iCloud) by name, email, or phone number. For a Microsoft 365 directory use m365_search_contacts or search_m365_directory instead. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Local MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
search_contacts accepts 2 parameters: limit, query. Required: query. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the Local MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for search_contacts: 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 Local. Nothing to install.
search_contacts is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the search_contacts 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.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for search_contacts. 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.
search_contacts is provided by the Local MCP server (local-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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