Search for notes using text queries, tags, or note type filters.
AI agents call zk_search_notes to retrieve information from Zettelkasten 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 data from the Zettelkasten knowledge base without side effects. It performs a search operation that returns matching notes but does not create, modify, delete, or execute external operations. Search/query operations are classified as Read category with low severity since misuse would only expose information already in the user's own knowledge base.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'zk_search_notes' and description explicitly state it 'Search for notes using text queries, tags, or note type filters' — a retrieval operation with no modification or deletion of data.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access zk_search_notes gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Zettelkasten, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for zk_search_notes:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"zk_search_notes": {}
}
}zk_search_notes is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Search for notes using text queries, tags, or note type filters. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Zettelkasten MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Zettelkasten MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for zk_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 Zettelkasten. Nothing to install.
zk_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 zk_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 zk_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.
zk_search_notes is provided by the Zettelkasten MCP server (liam-deacon/zettelkasten-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Zettelkasten, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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14 Zettelkasten tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.