Search users by name, username, or email.
AI agents call search_users to retrieve information from GitLab MCP without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves user information through search without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing any operations. It is a pure read operation that queries user data. The blast radius of misuse is minimal—an attacker could enumerate users but cannot modify or access sensitive data beyond what the GitLab search API exposes. Low severity is appropriate for user discovery in a multi-tenant environment.
From the tool's definition Tool name is 'search_users' and description states it 'Search users by name, username, or email' — a query operation with no side effects.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Search users by name, username, or email. It is categorised as a Read tool in the GitLab MCP MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the GitLab MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for search_users: 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 GitLab MCP. Nothing to install.
search_users 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_users 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_users. 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_users is provided by the GitLab MCP server (shahabmosavi/gitlab_mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
search_users is one line of GitLab's registry record.
The record carries the whole server: verified identity, auth posture, risk grade, every tool classified, recommended policy — re-checked continuously.
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