Search for documents matching a specified text query across all files in the vault
AI agents call search to retrieve information from MCP server for Obsidian without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
The search tool queries and retrieves data from the Obsidian vault based on a text query. It has no side effects: it does not create, modify, delete, or execute any operations. This is a classic Read operation.
From the tool's definition Tool name is 'search' and description states it 'Search for documents matching a specified text query across all files in the vault' — this is a read-only operation that retrieves matching documents without modifying, deleting, or executing anything.
Risk signalsBulk/mass operation — affects multiple targets
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access search gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and MCP server for Obsidian, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for search:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"search": {}
}
}search 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 documents matching a specified text query across all files in the vault. It is categorised as a Read tool in the MCP server for Obsidian MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the MCP server for Obsidian MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for search: 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 MCP server for Obsidian. Nothing to install.
search 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 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. 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 is provided by the MCP server for Obsidian MCP server (markuspfundstein/mcp-obsidian). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from MCP server for Obsidian, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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7 MCP server for Obsidian tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.