generate_citation

THE RISK

Low Risk

Why generate_citation needs a policy

This tool reads dataset metadata and formats it into a citation string. It produces output text only, with no side effects, no data modification, and no external operations triggered. It is a pure read/transform operation.

From the tool's definition Generate a formatted citation (BibTeX, APA, or Chicago) for a dataset

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access generate_citation gives an agent:

POLICY

How to control generate_citation

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and MobusMCP, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for generate_citation:

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "generate_citation": {}
  }
}

generate_citation is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

Create a free account and register MobusMCP — nothing to install.
Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.

CAP THIS TOOL →

Free to start. No card required.

EXPLORE

Related tools and policies

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All 13 MobusMCP tools →

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Go deeper

The MCP Attack Database → Documented attack patterns against MCP deployments — and the policies that stop them.
Data exfiltration → How read access becomes an exfiltration channel when chained with untrusted content.
MCP token cost → What connecting this server costs in context-window tokens on every request.
Rate Limiting MCP Tool Calls: A Practical Guide →
MCP Security: Why Prompt Guardrails Aren't Enough →

FAQ

Questions about generate_citation

What does the generate_citation tool do? +

Generate a formatted citation (BibTeX, APA, or Chicago) for a dataset. It is categorised as a Read tool in the MobusMCP MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on generate_citation? +

Register the Mobus MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for generate_citation: 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 MobusMCP. Nothing to install.

What risk level is generate_citation? +

generate_citation is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.

Can I rate-limit generate_citation? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the generate_citation 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.

How do I block generate_citation completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for generate_citation. 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.

What MCP server provides generate_citation? +

generate_citation is provided by the Mobus MCP server (mobus-ai/mobus). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every MobusMCP tool call.

Start from MobusMCP, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.

CHECK YOUR STACK →