AI agents call find_references to retrieve information from Ast Editor without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
The tool name 'find_references' strongly suggests it retrieves information about where symbols are referenced in code without modifying anything. This is a standard code analysis query operation with no side effects. While the description is empty (lowering confidence slightly), the name and context (among sibling write/execute tools on an AST editor server) clearly indicate a read-only capability.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'find_references' indicates a query/search operation that locates references to identifiers or symbols in code.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access find_references gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Ast Editor, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for find_references:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"find_references": {}
}
}find_references is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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find_references. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Ast Editor MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Ast Editor MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for find_references: 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 Ast Editor. Nothing to install.
find_references 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 find_references 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 find_references. 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.
find_references is provided by the Ast Editor MCP server (kambleakash0/agent-skills). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Ast Editor, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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59 Ast Editor tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.