Low Risk

memory_explain

Explain search results with detailed scoring breakdown.

How to control memory_explain ↓

What memory_explain does on Codemem

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

Low Risk

Why memory_explain needs a policy

The tool retrieves and explains existing search results using a scoring breakdown. This is purely informational with no side effects, no code execution, no data modification, and no deletion. It fits the Read category definition of retrieving or querying data with no side effects.

From the tool's definition Tool name is 'memory_explain' and description states it 'Explain search results with detailed scoring breakdown' — this is a retrieval and analysis operation that returns information about existing search results without modifying or executing anything.

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

How to control memory_explain

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

policy.json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "memory_explain": {}
  }
}

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

  1. Create a free account and register Codemem — nothing to install.
  2. Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
  3. Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.
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Related tools and policies

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Questions about memory_explain

What does the memory_explain tool do? +

Explain search results with detailed scoring breakdown. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Codemem MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on memory_explain? +

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

What risk level is memory_explain? +

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

Can I rate-limit memory_explain? +

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

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

memory_explain is provided by the Codemem MCP server (kunickiaj/codemem). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Codemem tool call.

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

Free to start. No card required.

13 Codemem tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.

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