# scan_openalex

A read tool on the Metis Public Health MCP server.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `scan_openalex`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/scan-openalex

## Facts

- Tool: `scan_openalex`
- Server: Metis Public Health (`sveritg/metis_ph`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/SVerITG/Metis_PH
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 0
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "scan_openalex",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why scan_openalex is rated Low

The tool appears to query OpenAlex (a scholarly article database) for research metadata—a read operation. Severity is marked 'high' rather than 'low' because an agent could enumerate large datasets, perform reconnaissance on researchers/institutions, or generate excessive API requests that consume quota or cause denial-of-service.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool name 'scan_openalex' indicates querying OpenAlex, a public academic metadata API. The 'scan' verb suggests retrieval/search rather than modification. No description provided to confirm scope."

## Use case

AI agents call scan_openalex to retrieve information from Metis Public Health without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches Metis Public Health:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "scan_openalex": {}
  }
}
```

## Other tools on Metis Public Health (276)

- `archive_library_item` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/archive-library-item.md
- `delete_data_trigger` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/delete-data-trigger.md
- `delete_knowledge_database` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/delete-knowledge-database.md
- `delete_task` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/delete-task.md
- `remove_first_run_marker` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/remove-first-run-marker.md
- `remove_library_item` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/remove-library-item.md
- `remove_project` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/remove-project.md
- `remove_tracked_file` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/remove-tracked-file.md
- `reset_thinking_profile` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/reset-thinking-profile.md
- `analyze_script` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/analyze-script.md
- `dhis2_query` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/dhis2-query.md
- `generate_profiling_script` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/generate-profiling-script.md
- `install_background_pack` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/install-background-pack.md
- `run_maintenance` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/run-maintenance.md
- `run_metis` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/run-metis.md
- `run_trigger_now` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/run-trigger-now.md
- `scaffold_script` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/scaffold-script.md
- `scan_project_scripts` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/scan-project-scripts.md
- `start_course_build` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/start-course-build.md
- `start_interest_interview` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/start-interest-interview.md
- `brainstorm_turn` — Other — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/brainstorm-turn.md
- `end_span` — Other — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/end-span.md
- `start_span` — Other — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/start-span.md
- `aggregate_reflexions` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/aggregate-reflexions.md
- `anonymize_text` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/anonymize-text.md
- `ask_library` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/ask-library.md
- `assemble_brainstorm_context` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/assemble-brainstorm-context.md
- `audit_background_provenance` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/audit-background-provenance.md
- `backup_db` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/backup-db.md
- `check_data_safety` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph/check-data-safety.md
- …and 246 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/sveritg-metis-ph.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

---

Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=sveritg-metis-ph · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/sveritg-metis-ph