AI agents call get_shortest_path 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 queries the knowledge graph structure to find connections between notes. It performs a read-only analysis of existing links and returns path information. There are no side effects, data modifications, deletions, code execution, or financial implications. The blast radius of misuse is minimal—an agent could only retrieve information about vault structure, which poses no destructive or operational risk.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'get_shortest_path' combined with description 'Find link path between two notes' indicates a graph traversal query operation that retrieves existing relationship data without modification.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access get_shortest_path 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 get_shortest_path:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"get_shortest_path": {}
}
}get_shortest_path is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Find link path between two 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 get_shortest_path: 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.
get_shortest_path 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_shortest_path 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_shortest_path. 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_shortest_path 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.