Find symbol definitions using Universal Ctags.
AI agents call find_definitions to retrieve information from Code Intelligence MCP Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves symbol definition metadata from a codebase using ctags, which is a read-only operation. It searches for definitions but does not execute code, modify files, delete data, or move money. No side effects occur from using this tool—it only provides information about code structure to help developers understand a codebase.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'find_definitions' and description 'Find symbol definitions using Universal Ctags' indicate a query operation. Ctags is a standard code indexing tool that searches for and returns symbol definition locations without modifying code.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Find symbol definitions using Universal Ctags. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Code Intelligence MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Code Intelligence MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for find_definitions: 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 Code Intelligence MCP Server. Nothing to install.
find_definitions 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 find_definitions 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 find_definitions. 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.
find_definitions is provided by the Code Intelligence MCP Server MCP server (tech-spoke/llm-helper). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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