Download PDF for a paper from OpenAlex. Args: paper_id: OpenAlex paper ID. save_path: Directory to save the PDF (default: './downloads'). Returns: str: Error message, typically OpenAlex relies on extracted pdf_url instead of direct downloads.
AI agents use download_openalex to create or update resources in Paper Search MCP — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Paper Search MCP environment.
This tool fetches a remote PDF and writes it to the local filesystem. The primary side effect is creating/saving a file locally, which maps to Write. It is not purely Read because it persists data to disk. Severity is low since it only downloads academic papers to a local directory, posing minimal blast radius.
From the tool's definition Download PDF for a paper from OpenAlex... Directory to save the PDF (default: './downloads')
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access download_openalex gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Paper Search MCP, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for download_openalex:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"download_openalex": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "download_openalex_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 30,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}download_openalex stays usable, but capped — an agent stuck in a loop can't make hundreds of changes a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Download PDF for a paper from OpenAlex. Args: paper_id: OpenAlex paper ID. save_path: Directory to save the PDF (default: './downloads'). Returns: str: Error message, typically OpenAlex relies on extracted pdf_url instead of direct downloads. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Paper Search MCP MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Register the Paper Search MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for download_openalex: 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 Paper Search MCP. Nothing to install.
download_openalex is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the download_openalex 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 download_openalex. 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.
download_openalex is provided by the Paper Search MCP server (openags/paper-search-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 63 Paper Search MCP tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
Free to start. No card required.
63 Paper Search MCP tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.