Full-text search across the vault. Returns top 50 hits. Optional
AI agents call search_notes to retrieve information from brainMD without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This is a straightforward search/query operation that retrieves information from the markdown vault without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing any code. The 'optional' parameters do not change the fundamental read-only nature. Blast radius is minimal—misuse returns search results that already exist in the vault.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'search_notes' combined with description 'Full-text search across the vault. Returns top 50 hits' indicates data retrieval only with no modification or side effects.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access search_notes gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and brainMD, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for search_notes:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"search_notes": {}
}
}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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Full-text search across the vault. Returns top 50 hits. Optional. It is categorised as a Read tool in the brainMD MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the brainMD 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 brainMD. 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 brainMD MCP server (mi4uu/brain.md). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from brainMD, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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17 brainMD tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.