Low Risk

search_servers

Search the MCP Marketplace catalog. With a free-text query and default sort, results are ranked by semantic similarity (gte-small embeddings + cosine similarity), so natural-language queries like 'manage my calendar', 'something to read PDFs', or 'database for my agent' work as well as keyword se...

Risk signalsAccepts freeform code/query input (query) · Bulk/mass operation — affects multiple targets

Part of the MCP Marketplace server.

search_servers 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 search_servers to retrieve information from MCP Marketplace 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 search_servers 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": {
    "search_servers": {}
  }
}

See the full MCP Marketplace policy for all 7 tools.

Get this rule live on your own MCP Marketplace 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 search_servers gives an agent. Each links to the full case and the policy that stops it:

Browse the full MCP Attack Database →

Every attack above starts with a tool call. PolicyLayer checks each one against your policy first, so search_servers 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 search_servers tool do? +

Search the MCP Marketplace catalog. With a free-text query and default sort, results are ranked by semantic similarity (gte-small embeddings + cosine similarity), so natural-language queries like 'manage my calendar', 'something to read PDFs', or 'database for my agent' work as well as keyword searches. Each result includes security_score (0-10), risk_level (low/moderate/high/critical), critical_findings (count of severity=critical|high findings), pricing, rating, install count, and a URL. ranking_mode in the response indicates whether semantic or keyword matching was used. Before recommending an install, call get_server for full details including every flagged finding — critical_findings > 0 means the server has known security issues you must surface to the user.. It is categorised as a Read tool in the MCP Marketplace MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on search_servers? +

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

What risk level is search_servers? +

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

Can I rate-limit search_servers? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the search_servers 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 search_servers completely? +

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

search_servers is provided by the MCP Marketplace MCP server (https://mcp-marketplace.io/api/mcp/mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every MCP Marketplace tool call.

Deterministic rules across all 7 MCP Marketplace tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.

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