search_authors

THE RISK

Low Risk

Why search_authors needs a policy

This tool queries a database (Scopus) to retrieve author metadata based on search criteria. It has no side effects, does not create, modify, or delete data, and does not execute code or move funds. It is a classic Read operation with minimal risk even if misused by an AI agent, as it only returns bibliographic information.

From the tool's definition Tool description states 'Search Scopus authors using a query string' — a search operation that retrieves author information without modifying data.

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access search_authors gives an agent:

POLICY

How to control search_authors

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and UniArticles MCP Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for search_authors:

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "search_authors": {}
  }
}

search_authors is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

Create a free account and register UniArticles MCP Server — nothing to install.
Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.

CAP THIS TOOL →

Free to start. No card required.

EXPLORE

Related tools and policies

More UniArticles MCP Server tools

Read download_paper Download an ArXiv paper as PDF. Read get_abstract_details Get detailed abstract information for a Scopus document (by EID). Read get_article_metadata Search ScienceDirect article metadata. Read get_author_profile Get author profile information from Scopus (by Author ID). Read get_quota_status Check current Elsevier API quota status (via Scopus endpoint). Read list_papers List recent papers from ArXiv (defaults to CS category if no query specified). Read read_paper Get detailed information (abstract/metadata) for a specific ArXiv paper. Read retrieve_article Retrieve a full-text article record by identifier type (pii, doi, pubmed_id, eid) and valu

All 15 UniArticles MCP Server tools →

Read tools on other servers

M-Team MCP Server get_torrent_detail YouTube MCP Server search_channel Android Forensics ADB MCP Server parse_browser_history 0xarchive web3_challenge

Go deeper

The MCP Attack Database → Documented attack patterns against MCP deployments — and the policies that stop them.
Data exfiltration → How read access becomes an exfiltration channel when chained with untrusted content.
MCP token cost → What connecting this server costs in context-window tokens on every request.
Rate Limiting MCP Tool Calls: A Practical Guide →
MCP Security: Why Prompt Guardrails Aren't Enough →

FAQ

Questions about search_authors

What does the search_authors tool do? +

Search Scopus authors using a query string. It is categorised as a Read tool in the UniArticles MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on search_authors? +

Register the UniArticles MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for search_authors: 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 UniArticles MCP Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is search_authors? +

search_authors is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.

Can I rate-limit search_authors? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the search_authors 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.

How do I block search_authors completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for search_authors. 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.

What MCP server provides search_authors? +

search_authors is provided by the UniArticles MCP Server MCP server (thinktraveller/uniarticles_mcpserver). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every UniArticles MCP Server tool call.

Start from UniArticles MCP Server, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.

CHECK YOUR STACK →