list_tags · Enhanced Obsidian MCP Server MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What list_tags does on Enhanced Obsidian MCP Server

AI agents call list_tags to retrieve information from Enhanced Obsidian MCP Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

THE RISK

Low Risk

Why list_tags needs a policy

This tool queries and returns information about tags in the Obsidian vault. It performs a read operation—retrieving structured data about tag usage—with no ability to create, modify, delete, or execute operations. The blast radius is minimal as misuse would only expose already-existing tag metadata.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'list_tags' and description 'List all tags in the vault with usage count' indicate retrieval of existing metadata without modification or side effects.

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access list_tags gives an agent:

POLICY

How to control list_tags

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Enhanced Obsidian MCP Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for list_tags:

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "list_tags": {}
  }
}

list_tags is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

Create a free account and register Enhanced Obsidian MCP Server — nothing to install.
Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.

CAP THIS TOOL →

Free to start. No card required.

EXPLORE

Related tools and policies

More Enhanced Obsidian MCP Server tools

Destructive delete_note Delete a note from the Obsidian vault Destructive delete_template Delete a template Destructive manage_folder Create, rename, move, or delete a folder in the Obsidian vault Write add_tags Add tags to a note Write apply_template Apply a template to create a new note Write auto_backlink_vault Automatically add backlinks throughout the entire vault by detecting note names in content Write create_note Create a new note in the Obsidian vault Write create_template Create a new template

All 25 Enhanced Obsidian MCP Server tools →

Read tools on other servers

M-Team MCP Server get_torrent_detail YouTube MCP Server search_channel Android Forensics ADB MCP Server parse_browser_history 0xarchive web3_challenge

Go deeper

The MCP Attack Database → Documented attack patterns against MCP deployments — and the policies that stop them.
Data exfiltration → How read access becomes an exfiltration channel when chained with untrusted content.
MCP token cost → What connecting this server costs in context-window tokens on every request.
Rate Limiting MCP Tool Calls: A Practical Guide →
MCP Security: Why Prompt Guardrails Aren't Enough →

FAQ

Questions about list_tags

What does the list_tags tool do? +

List all tags in the vault with usage count. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Enhanced Obsidian MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on list_tags? +

Register the Enhanced Obsidian MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_tags: 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 Enhanced Obsidian MCP Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is list_tags? +

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

Can I rate-limit list_tags? +

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

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

list_tags is provided by the Enhanced Obsidian MCP Server MCP server (jianruidutong/obsidian-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Enhanced Obsidian MCP Server tool call.

Start from Enhanced Obsidian MCP Server, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.

CHECK YOUR STACK →

Free to start. No card required.

25 Enhanced Obsidian MCP Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.