Find symbol references.
AI agents call find_references 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.
The tool performs static code analysis to identify references to a given symbol, analogous to grep or IDE search features. It reads the codebase to answer questions about symbol usage but does not create, modify, execute, or delete any code or data. This is purely a Read operation with minimal blast radius even if misused by an agent.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'find_references' and description 'Find symbol references' indicate a query operation that locates where symbols are used in code.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Find symbol references. 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_references: 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_references 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_references 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_references. 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_references 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.
find_references is one line of Code Intelligence MCP Server'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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