Read and extract text content from a BASE paper. Args: paper_id: BASE paper identifier. save_path: Directory where the PDF is/will be saved (default: './downloads'). Returns: str: Extracted text content.
AI agents call read_base_paper to retrieve information from Paper Search MCP without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool performs a query/retrieval operation on academic paper content. It fetches and extracts text from an existing paper resource (BASE paper) and returns the content without any side effects, modifications, or irreversible actions. The save_path parameter controls where a PDF is stored but does not modify the source data.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'read_base_paper' and description 'Read and extract text content from a BASE paper' explicitly indicates retrieval and extraction operations with no modification, deletion, or execution capabilities. Returns extracted text content only.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access read_base_paper 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 read_base_paper:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"read_base_paper": {}
}
}read_base_paper is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Read and extract text content from a BASE paper. Args: paper_id: BASE paper identifier. save_path: Directory where the PDF is/will be saved (default: './downloads'). Returns: str: Extracted text content. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Paper Search MCP MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Paper Search MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for read_base_paper: 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.
read_base_paper 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 read_base_paper 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 read_base_paper. 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.
read_base_paper 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.
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63 Paper Search MCP tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.