AI agents call search_notes to retrieve information from DMCP without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
The search_notes tool performs a query operation against stored notes without side effects. It retrieves information based on search criteria but does not create, modify, delete, or execute any code or external operations.
From the tool's definition Tool is described as 'Search notes by title or content' — a retrieval operation with no modification, deletion, or execution of external systems.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access search_notes gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and DMCP, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for search_notes:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"search_notes": {}
}
}search_notes is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Search notes by title or content. It is categorised as a Read tool in the DMCP MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the D MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for search_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 DMCP. Nothing to install.
search_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 search_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 search_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.
search_notes is provided by the D MCP server (shawnrushefsky/dmcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from DMCP, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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204 DMCP tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.