export_bibliography

THE RISK

Medium Risk

Why export_bibliography needs a policy

This tool creates a new file (.bib bibliography file) on disk containing exported citation data. This is a Write operation—it creates and stores data reversibly. The severity is low because: (1) the data written is derived from already-cached citations (no new information is generated), (2) BibLaTeX files are standard, non-proprietary formats, (3) the operation is easily reversible (file can be deleted), and (4)…

From the tool's definition Tool description states 'Export cached citations as a BibLaTeX .bib file. Returns the bib text and the path where it was written.' The verb 'export' combined with file creation ('where it was written') indicates data is being written to the file system.

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access export_bibliography gives an agent:

POLICY

How to control export_bibliography

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and AusLaw MCP, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for export_bibliography:

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "export_bibliography": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "export_bibliography_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 30,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

export_bibliography 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.

Create a free account and register AusLaw MCP — nothing to install.
Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.

LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Free to start. No card required.

EXPLORE

Related tools and policies

More AusLaw MCP tools

Write cache_cited_by Fetch citing cases for a cached citation from jade.io and store them locally. Write check_source_freshness Check whether the locally cached source file for a citation is still current. Issues a con Write cache_citation Store or update a citation in the local project cache. Assigns a biblatex-compatible cite Read fetch_document_text Fetch full text for a legislation or case URL (AustLII or jade.io), with OCR fallback for Read format_citation Format an Australian case citation according to AGLC4 rules. Combines case name, neutral c Read format_short_citation Format an AGLC4-compliant short-form, Ibid, or subsequent reference. Use Read get_cached_citation Retrieve a citation from the local cache without any network calls. Looks up by cite key, Read get_cited_by Return the locally cached cited-by list for a citation. Zero network calls.

All 18 AusLaw MCP tools →

Write tools on other servers

M-Team MCP Server download_torrent YouTube MCP Server generate_video_title Android Forensics ADB MCP Server combine_reports 0xarchive web3_signup

Go deeper

The MCP Attack Database → Documented attack patterns against MCP deployments — and the policies that stop them.
Argument validation → Checking tool call arguments against schema and policy before they run.
Scoped token → Per-person credentials that grant a defined subset of servers and tools.
Rate Limiting MCP Tool Calls: A Practical Guide →
MCP Security: Why Prompt Guardrails Aren't Enough →

FAQ

Questions about export_bibliography

What does the export_bibliography tool do? +

Export cached citations as a BibLaTeX .bib file. Returns the bib text and the path where it was written. It is categorised as a Write tool in the AusLaw MCP MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on export_bibliography? +

Register the AusLaw MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for export_bibliography: 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 AusLaw MCP. Nothing to install.

What risk level is export_bibliography? +

export_bibliography is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.

Can I rate-limit export_bibliography? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the export_bibliography 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.

How do I block export_bibliography completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for export_bibliography. 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.

What MCP server provides export_bibliography? +

export_bibliography is provided by the AusLaw MCP server (russellbrenner/auslaw-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every AusLaw MCP tool call.

Start from AusLaw MCP, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.

CHECK YOUR STACK →