AI agents call search_skills to retrieve information from Forgetful without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
The tool name and server context strongly suggest this performs a search query against stored skills in the knowledge base, returning matching results without modifying data. Search and retrieval operations are categorized as Read with low severity since they only access information and carry no destructive or executable side effects.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'search_skills' indicates a query/search operation. Server description emphasizes 'retrieval' and 'semantic search' capabilities.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access search_skills gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Forgetful, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for search_skills:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"search_skills": {}
}
}search_skills is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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search_skills. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Forgetful MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Forgetful MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for search_skills: 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 Forgetful. Nothing to install.
search_skills 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_skills 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_skills. 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_skills is provided by the Forgetful MCP server (scottrbk/forgetful). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 59 Forgetful tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
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59 Forgetful tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.