Search CVE database with filters: product/vendor, severity, published date range, EPSS score, CWE, CVSS range, CISA KEV status. Default response is SLIM per-result (cve_id, summary, severity, cvss_v3, cwe_id, epss, kev, total_products, published, modified, sources) — pass include='full' for descr...
High parameter count (14 properties); Admin/system-level operation
Part of the ContrastAPI MCP server. Enforce policies on this tool with Intercept, the open-source MCP proxy.
AI agents call cve_search to retrieve information from ContrastAPI 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 cve_search 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.
tools:
cve_search:
rules:
- action: allowSee the full ContrastAPI policy for all 53 tools.
Agents calling read-class tools like cve_search have been implicated in these attack patterns. Read the full case and prevention policy for each:
Other tools in the Read risk category across the catalogue. The same policy patterns (rate-limit, allow) apply to each.
Search CVE database with filters: product/vendor, severity, published date range, EPSS score, CWE, CVSS range, CISA KEV status. Default response is SLIM per-result (cve_id, summary, severity, cvss_v3, cwe_id, epss, kev, total_products, published, modified, sources) — pass include='full' for description, cvss_breakdown, affected_products, references, first_seen_*. Verdict (sources_queried, falsifiable_fields, completeness, data_age) is at the response root — applies to the whole batch, not per-row. Product/vendor filters are EXACT NVD-canonical-token matches (not the common name — e.g. nginx is 'nginx_open_source'/'nginx_plus', vendor 'f5'); a low/zero count for a well-known product means the token differs, so for dependency/package lists use check_dependencies and for a domain's whole stack tech_stack_cve_audit (both auto-normalize tokens). Use for vulnerability discovery by criteria; pass cwe_id (e.g. CWE-79) to enumerate every CVE in our database mapped to a weakness — pair with cwe_lookup for the category description and mitigations. Use cve_lookup for single CVE by ID, kev_detail when kev=true filtering and the agent needs federal patch deadlines per result. Response carries a global hint pointing at cve_lookup — drill into any returned cve_id for full detail and chained pivots (exploit_lookup, kev_detail, cwe_lookup). Free: 30/hr, Pro: 500/hr. Returns {count, total, truncated, offset, summary, results, query_echo, next_offset, verdict, hint}.. It is categorised as a Read tool in the ContrastAPI MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Add a rule in your Intercept YAML policy under the tools section for cve_search. You can allow, deny, rate-limit, or validate arguments. Then run Intercept as a proxy in front of the ContrastAPI MCP server.
cve_search 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 cve_search rule in your Intercept 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 Intercept policy for cve_search. 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.
cve_search is provided by the ContrastAPI MCP server (contrastcyber/contrastapi). Intercept sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic policy on every MCP tool call. Per-identity grants. Full audit log.