Search for notes in the Obsidian vault.
AI agents call search_notes to retrieve information from Obsidian MCP Server Plugin without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves and queries note data without creating, modifying, or deleting content. It is a read-only operation with minimal security impact even if invoked by an AI agent, as it only exposes existing information the user has already stored in their vault. The severity is low because searching notes has no side effects beyond information disclosure, which is expected behavior for a search function.
From the tool's definition Tool name is 'search_notes' and description states it 'Search for notes in the Obsidian vault' — a query operation with no modification or deletion of data.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Search for notes in the Obsidian vault. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Obsidian MCP Server Plugin MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Obsidian MCP Server Plugin MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for search_notes: 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 Plugin. Nothing to install.
search_notes 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 search_notes 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 search_notes. 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.
search_notes is provided by the Obsidian MCP Server Plugin MCP server (lee3604/obsidian-local-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Every MCP server has a record like this.
Type a name, get the same breakdown: verified identity, auth posture, risk grade, capabilities, recommended policy.
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