SEARCH FIND RECALL RETRIEVE QUERY LOOKUP - Search for stored information using natural language. USE THIS FIRST before any memory operation. Keywords: search, find, recall, retrieve, query, lookup, remember, fetch, get, access, locate, discover, check memory, find information, recall fact, retrie...
AI agents call memory_search to retrieve information from MCP AI Memory without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
memory_search performs information retrieval operations only. The tool queries stored memory/knowledge using natural language but does not create, modify, delete, or execute operations.
From the tool's definition Tool description explicitly states 'SEARCH FIND RECALL RETRIEVE QUERY LOOKUP - Search for stored information using natural language' with keywords including 'search, find, recall, retrieve, query, lookup, remember, fetch, get, access, locate, discover'.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access memory_search gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and MCP AI Memory, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for memory_search:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"memory_search": {}
}
}memory_search is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
Free to start. No card required.
SEARCH FIND RECALL RETRIEVE QUERY LOOKUP - Search for stored information using natural language. USE THIS FIRST before any memory operation. Keywords: search, find, recall, retrieve, query, lookup, remember, fetch, get, access, locate, discover, check memory, find information, recall fact, retrieve data, search knowledge, what do I know, user preferences, user name, previous conversation. It is categorised as a Read tool in the MCP AI Memory MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the MCP AI Memory MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for memory_search: 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 AI Memory. Nothing to install.
memory_search 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 memory_search 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 memory_search. 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.
memory_search is provided by the MCP AI Memory MCP server (scanadi/mcp-ai-memory). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 17 MCP AI Memory tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
Free to start. No card required.
17 MCP AI Memory tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.