Search for text within a PDF document. Returns matching locations with surrounding context. Case-insensitive search across all or specified pages. Each match includes the page number, the matched text, and configurable surrounding context. Args: - file_path (string): Absolute path to a local PDF ...
AI agents call search_text to retrieve information from Pdf Reader without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool performs a pure information retrieval operation — searching for text patterns in a PDF and returning results with context. It has no side effects, does not modify the PDF, does not execute code, and does not create or delete data. The blast radius of misuse is minimal; an attacker could only learn what text exists in a PDF file they already have access to. This is a classic 'Read' category tool.
From the tool's definition Tool description states 'Search for text within a PDF document. Returns matching locations with surrounding context.' The functionality is explicitly a read-only search operation that retrieves and returns data without modifying or executing anything.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Search for text within a PDF document. Returns matching locations with surrounding context. Case-insensitive search across all or specified pages. Each match includes the page number, the matched text, and configurable surrounding context. Args: - file_path (string): Absolute path to a local PDF file - query (string): Text to search for (case-insensitive, 1-500 chars) - pages (string, optional): Page range to search. Omit for all pages. - context_chars (number): Characters of context before/after match (default: 80) - max_results (number): Maximum matches to return (default: 20, max: 100) - response_format (. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Pdf Reader MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Pdf Reader MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for search_text: 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 Pdf Reader. Nothing to install.
search_text 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_text 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_text. 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_text is provided by the Pdf Reader MCP server (shuji-bonji/pdf-reader-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Every MCP server has a record like this.
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