signal_search_messages
Full-text search across locally-cached Signal messages. Only messages Signal Desktop has stored on disk are searched — no network access required. Optionally restrict search to a specific chat_id.
This record as markdown: /tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/signal-search-messages.md
What signal_search_messages does on Local
AI agents call signal_search_messages 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 to return (default 50) |
query | string | Yes | Search text (case-insensitive substring match) |
chat_id | string | — | Optional chat ID to restrict search |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why signal_search_messages is rated Low
This tool queries and retrieves message data without any side effects. It does not create, modify, delete, or execute operations. The capability is confined to searching and reading locally-cached content. While the data searched may be sensitive (private messages), the tool itself performs only a read operation with no destructive or executable impact.
From the tool's definition Tool performs 'Full-text search across locally-cached Signal messages' with optional filtering by chat_id.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs signal_search_messages 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 signal_search_messages, this is the rule to start with:
signal_search_messages 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 signal_search_messages call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about signal_search_messages
Full-text search across locally-cached Signal messages. Only messages Signal Desktop has stored on disk are searched — no network access required. Optionally restrict search to a specific chat_id. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Local MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
signal_search_messages accepts 3 parameters: limit, query, chat_id. 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 signal_search_messages: 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.
signal_search_messages 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 signal_search_messages 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 signal_search_messages. 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.
signal_search_messages 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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