MCP Tool: Reads the YAML frontmatter metadata from a note file.
AI agents call get_note_metadata to retrieve information from Obsidian MCP Tool Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves metadata from an existing note without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing anything. It is a pure read operation on structured data (YAML frontmatter), similar to get_note_content and get_backlinks on the same server. Misuse would only expose information the agent already has access to within the vault, resulting in low severity.
From the tool's definition Tool description explicitly states 'Reads the YAML frontmatter metadata from a note file.' The verb 'Reads' and lack of any modification language clearly indicate this is a retrieval operation with no side effects.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access get_note_metadata gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Obsidian MCP Tool Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for get_note_metadata:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"get_note_metadata": {}
}
}get_note_metadata is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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MCP Tool: Reads the YAML frontmatter metadata from a note file. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Obsidian MCP Tool Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Obsidian MCP Tool Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_note_metadata: 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 Tool Server. Nothing to install.
get_note_metadata 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 get_note_metadata 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 get_note_metadata. 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.
get_note_metadata is provided by the Obsidian MCP Tool Server MCP server (rwb3n/obsidian-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 18 Obsidian MCP Tool Server tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
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18 Obsidian MCP Tool Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.