Find notes whose YAML frontmatter contains a given property/value pair. Property names and values are matched case-insensitively; for array-valued properties, a match is declared if any element matches. Returns matching note paths with their full frontmatter. Use to filter notes by metadata like ...
AI agents call search_by_frontmatter to retrieve information from Obsidian Mcp Pro without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool purely retrieves and queries data based on frontmatter properties without any side effects or state changes. It is a search/filter operation that belongs in the Read category. The severity is low because misuse would only expose existing metadata that is already stored in the vault, with no destructive or external impact.
From the tool's definition Tool searches and filters notes by frontmatter metadata, returning matching note paths and frontmatter. Uses query terms like 'Find notes', 'filter notes by metadata', and 'Returns matching note paths'. No modification, deletion, or execution of code occurs.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access search_by_frontmatter gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Obsidian Mcp Pro, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for search_by_frontmatter:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"search_by_frontmatter": {}
}
}search_by_frontmatter is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Find notes whose YAML frontmatter contains a given property/value pair. Property names and values are matched case-insensitively; for array-valued properties, a match is declared if any element matches. Returns matching note paths with their full frontmatter. Use to filter notes by metadata like status, type, or tags stored in frontmatter. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Obsidian Mcp Pro MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Obsidian Mcp Pro MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for search_by_frontmatter: 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 Obsidian Mcp Pro. Nothing to install.
search_by_frontmatter 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_by_frontmatter 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_by_frontmatter. 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_by_frontmatter is provided by the Obsidian Mcp Pro MCP server (rps321321/obsidian-mcp-pro). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Obsidian Mcp Pro, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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41 Obsidian Mcp Pro tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.