Search for text in PDF and open to the specified result.
AI agents call search_and_open to retrieve information from Pdf Navigator without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool searches and navigates within an existing PDF document. It retrieves information (finds text matches) and positions the viewer at a result location. No data is created, modified, deleted, or overwritten; no code execution or external operations are triggered. The sibling tools (get_pdf_info, read_pdf_page, read_pdf_text) further confirm this server is read-only.
From the tool's definition Tool performs 'search for text in PDF and open to the specified result' — a query/retrieval operation that locates and navigates to content without modifying the PDF or executing arbitrary code.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access search_and_open gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Pdf Navigator, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for search_and_open:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"search_and_open": {}
}
}search_and_open is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
Free to start. No card required.
Search for text in PDF and open to the specified result. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Pdf Navigator MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Pdf Navigator MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for search_and_open: 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 Pdf Navigator. Nothing to install.
search_and_open 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_and_open 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_and_open. 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_and_open is provided by the Pdf Navigator MCP server (matsengrp/pdf-navigator-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Pdf Navigator, 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.
7 Pdf Navigator tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.