AI agents call get_recent to retrieve information from MCP Zotero without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves recently added papers from a Zotero library, which is a read-only operation with no side effects. It queries and returns data without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing any actions. The blast radius of misuse is minimal—an AI agent could only access metadata about recent papers in the user's library, which constitutes low risk.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'get_recent' and description 'Get recently added papers to your library' indicate a query operation that retrieves existing data without modification or execution of external actions.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access get_recent gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and MCP Zotero, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for get_recent:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"get_recent": {}
}
}get_recent is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Get recently added papers to your library. It is categorised as a Read tool in the MCP Zotero MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the MCP Zotero MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_recent: 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 Zotero. Nothing to install.
get_recent is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the get_recent 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.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for get_recent. 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.
get_recent is provided by the MCP Zotero MCP server (kaliaboi/mcp-zotero). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from MCP Zotero, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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5 MCP Zotero tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.