Create a new search to find and add items to a webset. The search will discover entities matching your query and criteria. IMPORTANT PARAMETER FORMATS: - entity: MUST be an object like {type: "company"} (NOT a string) - criteria: MUST be array of objects like [{description: "..."}] (NOT array of ...
Risk signalsAccepts freeform code/query input (query) · High parameter count (10 properties)
Part of the Exa Websets server.
Free to start. No card required.
AI agents use create_search to create or modify resources in Exa Websets. Write operations carry medium risk because an autonomous agent could trigger bulk unintended modifications. Rate limits prevent a single agent session from making hundreds of changes in rapid succession. Argument validation ensures the agent passes expected values.
Without a policy, an AI agent could call create_search repeatedly, creating or modifying resources faster than any human could review. PolicyLayer's rate limiting ensures write operations happen at a controlled pace, and argument validation catches malformed or unexpected inputs before they reach Exa Websets.
Write tools can modify data. A rate limit prevents runaway bulk operations from AI agents.
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"create_search": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "create_search_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 30,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}See the full Exa Websets policy for all 16 tools.
These attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access create_search gives an agent. Each links to the full case and the policy that stops it:
Other write tools across the catalogue. The same approach applies to each: rate-limit and validate the arguments.
Create a new search to find and add items to a webset. The search will discover entities matching your query and criteria. IMPORTANT PARAMETER FORMATS: - entity: MUST be an object like {type: "company"} (NOT a string) - criteria: MUST be array of objects like [{description: "..."}] (NOT array of strings) Example call: { "websetId": "webset_123", "query": "AI startups in San Francisco", "entity": {"type": "company"}, "criteria": [{"description": "Founded after 2020"}], "count": 10 }. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Exa Websets MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Register the Exa Websets MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for create_search: 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 Exa Websets. Nothing to install.
create_search is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the create_search 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 create_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.
create_search is provided by the Exa Websets MCP server (exa-labs/websets-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 16 Exa Websets tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
Free to start. No card required.
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