# web_search

Search the web for information. This is the PRIMARY tool for research tasks - finding news, trends, discussions, and information on any topic.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `web_search`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/web-search

## Facts

- Tool: `web_search`
- Server: CoWork OS (`CoWork-OS/CoWork-OS`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/CoWork-OS/CoWork-OS
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- 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": "web_search",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why web_search is rated Low

web_search performs information retrieval from external sources without modifying, creating, or deleting any data. It is a passive read operation that returns search results. The scope is limited to gathering information, with no capability to execute commands, modify systems, or cause destructive effects.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool description states 'Search the web for information' and emphasizes it as 'the PRIMARY tool for research tasks - finding news, trends, discussions, and information on any topic.' These are inherently query/retrieval operations with no side effects."

## Use case

AI agents call web_search to retrieve information from CoWork OS 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 CoWork OS:

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

## Other tools on CoWork OS (341)

- `cancel_agent` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/cancel-agent.md
- `cancel_video_generation_job` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/cancel-video-generation-job.md
- `cloud_sandbox_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/cloud-sandbox-delete.md
- `delete_file` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/delete-file.md
- `disable_macos_launch_agents` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/disable-macos-launch-agents.md
- `domain_dns_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/domain-dns-delete.md
- `google-workspace.calendar_event_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/google-workspace.calendar-event-delete.md
- `google-workspace.slides_delete_slide` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/google-workspace.slides-delete-slide.md
- `google-workspace.tasks_clear_completed` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/google-workspace.tasks-clear-completed.md
- `google-workspace.tasks_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/google-workspace.tasks-delete.md
- `google-workspace.tasks_lists_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/google-workspace.tasks-lists-delete.md
- `kg_delete_edge` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/kg-delete-edge.md
- `kg_delete_entity` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/kg-delete-entity.md
- `skill_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/skill-delete.md
- `supermemory_forget` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/supermemory-forget.md
- `blender.render_view` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/blender.render-view.md
- `browser_act_batch` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-act-batch.md
- `browser_attach` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-attach.md
- `browser_back` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-back.md
- `browser_click` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-click.md
- `browser_close` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-close.md
- `browser_close_tab` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-close-tab.md
- `browser_drag` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-drag.md
- `browser_emulate` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-emulate.md
- `browser_evaluate` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-evaluate.md
- `browser_fill` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-fill.md
- `browser_forward` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-forward.md
- `browser_handle_dialog` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-handle-dialog.md
- `browser_hover` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-hover.md
- `browser_navigate` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-navigate.md
- …and 311 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os.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`

---

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