AI agents call extract_all_todos to retrieve information from Obsidian MCP Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool performs a read-only retrieval of TODO items across the vault. It queries and aggregates existing data without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing any side effects. The worst case misuse is information disclosure of tasks, which is low severity in an isolated note-taking context.
From the tool's definition Tool name is 'extract_all_todos' and description states it 'Extract[s] all TODO items from all notes' — a query operation that retrieves existing task data with no modification or deletion.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access extract_all_todos gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Obsidian MCP Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for extract_all_todos:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"extract_all_todos": {}
}
}extract_all_todos is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Extract all TODO items from all notes. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Obsidian MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Obsidian MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for extract_all_todos: 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 Obsidian MCP Server. Nothing to install.
extract_all_todos 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 extract_all_todos 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 extract_all_todos. 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.
extract_all_todos is provided by the Obsidian MCP Server MCP server (kynlos/obsidian-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Obsidian MCP Server, 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.
120 Obsidian MCP Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.