Low Risk

get_book

Get full details for a book by ID. Returns title, author, publication year, language, available formats, and download count.

Part of the Gutendex server.

get_book is read-only, but an agent in a loop can still rack up calls and cost. PolicyLayer caps every call before it runs. Live in minutes.

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AI agents call get_book to retrieve information from Gutendex 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 get_book 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.

policy.json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "get_book": {}
  }
}

See the full Gutendex policy for all 24 tools.

Get this rule live on your own Gutendex server in minutes. PolicyLayer enforces it on every call, before it runs.

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These attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access get_book gives an agent. Each links to the full case and the policy that stops it:

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Every attack above starts with a tool call. PolicyLayer checks each one against your policy first, so get_book only ever does what you allow.

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Other read tools across the catalogue. The same approach applies to each: allow, with a rate cap to control cost.

What does the get_book tool do? +

Get full details for a book by ID. Returns title, author, publication year, language, available formats, and download count.. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Gutendex MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on get_book? +

Register the Gutendex MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_book: 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 Gutendex. Nothing to install.

What risk level is get_book? +

get_book is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.

Can I rate-limit get_book? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the get_book 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.

How do I block get_book completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for get_book. 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 get_book? +

get_book is provided by the Gutendex MCP server (https://gateway.pipeworx.io/gutendex/mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Gutendex tool call.

Deterministic rules across all 24 Gutendex tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.

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4,600+ MCP servers and 31,000+ tools scanned and risk-classified.

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