MCP Tool: Lists markdown notes within a given relative path.
AI agents call list_notes 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 only retrieves and enumerates existing notes without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing code. It has no side effects and poses minimal risk even if misused by an AI agent, as it merely returns metadata about note existence and location.
From the tool's definition Tool description states it 'Lists markdown notes within a given relative path' — a retrieval operation with no modification or deletion. Function name 'list_notes' and verb 'Lists' clearly indicate a query/enumeration action.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access list_notes 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 list_notes:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"list_notes": {}
}
}list_notes 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: Lists markdown notes within a given relative path. 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 list_notes: 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.
list_notes 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 list_notes 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 list_notes. 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.
list_notes 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.