Low Risk

github_search

github_search

How to control github_search ↓

What github_search does on Brain

AI agents call github_search to retrieve information from Brain without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

Low Risk

Why github_search needs a policy

Tool names ending in 'search' and the context of a cognitive-indexing server strongly suggest this retrieves/queries data without side effects. However, the empty description creates ambiguity—it could potentially search for and return GitHub data, or it could execute GitHub API calls. Lower confidence assigned due to missing descriptive text.

From the tool's definition Tool name contains 'search', and the parent server is described as indexing conversation history into 'searchable embeddings'. The sibling tool 'bob_search' further confirms this server provides search functionality.

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

How to control github_search

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

policy.json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "github_search": {}
  }
}

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

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

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Questions about github_search

What does the github_search tool do? +

github_search. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Brain MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on github_search? +

Register the Brain MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for github_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 Brain. Nothing to install.

What risk level is github_search? +

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

Can I rate-limit github_search? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the github_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.

How do I block github_search completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for github_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.

What MCP server provides github_search? +

github_search is provided by the Brain MCP server (mordechaipotash/brain-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Brain tool call.

Start from Brain, 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.

34 Brain tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.

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