web_search_exa
Real-time semantic web search with clean content
Part of the Exa MCP server. Enforce policies on this tool with Intercept, the open-source MCP proxy.
WHEN AI AGENTS USE THIS TOOL
AI agents call web_search_exa to retrieve information from Exa 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.
WHY ENFORCE A POLICY ON WEB_SEARCH_EXA
Even though web_search_exa 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.
RECOMMENDED POLICY
Read-only tools are safe to allow by default. No rate limit needed unless you want to control costs.
tools:
web_search_exa:
rules:
- action: allowSee the full Exa policy for all 8 tools.
DETAILS
MORE EXA TOOLS
get_code_context_exa Read people_search_exa Read web_search_advanced_exa Read company_research_exa Other crawling_exa Other deep_researcher_check Other deep_researcher_start Other SIMILAR READ TOOLS ON OTHER SERVERS
list_bases Airtable list_tables Airtable list_records Airtable get_record Airtable search_records Airtable search Amplitude RELATED READING
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What does the web_search_exa tool do?
Real-time semantic web search with clean content. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Exa MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
How do I enforce a policy on web_search_exa?
Add a rule in your Intercept YAML policy under the tools section for web_search_exa. You can allow, deny, rate-limit, or validate arguments. Then run Intercept as a proxy in front of the Exa MCP server.
What risk level is web_search_exa?
web_search_exa is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Can I rate-limit web_search_exa?
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the web_search_exa 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.
How do I block web_search_exa completely?
Set action: deny in the Intercept policy for web_search_exa. 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.
What MCP server provides web_search_exa?
web_search_exa is provided by the Exa MCP server (exa-labs/exa-mcp-server). Intercept sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
ENFORCE POLICIES ON EXA
Open source. One binary. Zero dependencies.