FIXED VERSION: Recursively search for files and directories matching a glob pattern.
AI agents call search_files to retrieve information from MCP-Server-Filesystem without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This is a Read operation—it retrieves and queries filesystem metadata by pattern matching without side effects. While the server offers destructive tools (delete_file, run_command), this specific tool only searches. Severity is low because pattern matching on filesystem has minimal blast radius; worst case is information disclosure of file paths.
From the tool's definition Tool performs recursive search matching glob patterns with no modification capability. Description states 'search for files and directories matching a glob pattern' with no mention of write, delete, or execute operations.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
FIXED VERSION: Recursively search for files and directories matching a glob pattern. It is categorised as a Read tool in the MCP-Server-Filesystem MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the MCP-Server-Filesystem MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for search_files: 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 MCP-Server-Filesystem. Nothing to install.
search_files 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_files 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_files. 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_files is provided by the MCP-Server-Filesystem MCP server (redf0x1/mcp-server-filesystem). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Every MCP server has a record like this.
Type a name, get the same breakdown: verified identity, auth posture, risk grade, capabilities, recommended policy.
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