# web_research

Search the web, fact-check claims, compare items, or conduct deep research. Actions:

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `web_research`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/web-research

## Facts

- Tool: `web_research`
- Server: Claude Flow (`claude-flow`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow.md
- Install: `npx -y claude-flow`
- Homepage: https://github.com/ruvnet/claude-flow
- 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_research",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why web_research is rated Low

The tool retrieves and queries external web data with no side effects mentioned. However, severity is elevated to medium rather than low because web search can expose sensitive information, cause unintended information disclosure, or be used for reconnaissance in an agent context where external data fetching is uncontrolled.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool description states 'Search the web, fact-check claims, compare items, or conduct deep research'—all read-only operations that retrieve information without modification."

## Use case

AI agents call web_research to retrieve information from Claude Flow 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 Claude Flow:

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

## Other tools on Claude Flow (495)

- `agent_terminate` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/agent-terminate.md
- `agentdb_batch` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/agentdb-batch.md
- `agentdb_causal-edge-delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/agentdb-causal-edge-delete.md
- `agentdb_causal-node-delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/agentdb-causal-node-delete.md
- `agentdb_hierarchical-delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/agentdb-hierarchical-delete.md
- `agenticow_rollback` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/agenticow-rollback.md
- `autopilot_reset` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/autopilot-reset.md
- `config_reset` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/config-reset.md
- `federation_wg_keyrotate` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/federation-wg-keyrotate.md
- `hooks_codemod` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/hooks-codemod.md
- `hooks_intelligence-reset` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/hooks-intelligence-reset.md
- `hooks_worker-cancel` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/hooks-worker-cancel.md
- `iot_device_remove` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/iot-device-remove.md
- `iot_firmware_rollout_rollback` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/iot-firmware-rollout-rollback.md
- `iot_fleet_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/iot-fleet-delete.md
- `iot_fleet_remove_device` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/iot-fleet-remove-device.md
- `managed_agent_terminate` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/managed-agent-terminate.md
- `memory_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/memory-delete.md
- `policy_revoke` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/policy-revoke.md
- `ruvector_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/ruvector-delete.md
- `session_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/session-delete.md
- `system_reset` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/system-reset.md
- `task_cancel` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/task-cancel.md
- `teammate_cleanup` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/teammate-cleanup.md
- `wasm_agent_reset` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/wasm-agent-reset.md
- `wasm_gallery_remove_custom` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/wasm-gallery-remove-custom.md
- `workflow_cancel` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/workflow-cancel.md
- `workflow_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/workflow-delete.md
- `agent_pool` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/agent-pool.md
- `agent_spawn` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow/agent-spawn.md
- …and 465 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow.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=io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/io-github-ruvnet-claude-flow