Search the web using Exa API and return results as markdown formatted text. Args: query: The search query num_results: Optional number of results to return (overrides config) Returns: Search results formatted in markdown
AI agents call search_web to retrieve information from ReActMCP Web Search without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves and queries data with no side effects. It performs a web search and returns formatted results, which is a read-only operation. No data is created, modified, deleted, or executed. The blast radius of misuse is minimal—worst case being irrelevant or excessive search queries, which cause no harm to systems or data.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'search_web' and description state it 'Search the web using Exa API and return results as markdown formatted text' with Args for 'query' and 'num_results'. Returns 'Search results formatted in markdown'.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access search_web gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and ReActMCP Web Search, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for search_web:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"search_web": {}
}
}search_web is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Search the web using Exa API and return results as markdown formatted text. Args: query: The search query num_results: Optional number of results to return (overrides config) Returns: Search results formatted in markdown. It is categorised as a Read tool in the ReActMCP Web Search MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the ReActMCP Web Search MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for search_web: 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 ReActMCP Web Search. Nothing to install.
search_web 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_web 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_web. 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_web is provided by the ReActMCP Web Search MCP server (mshojaei77/reactmcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from ReActMCP Web Search, 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 ReActMCP Web Search tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.