AI agents call search_reference to retrieve information from BibTeX 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 and queries academic reference data without modifying, executing code, deleting, or transferring funds. It returns search results and formatted citations—purely informational Read operations. The empty description lowers confidence slightly, but the context from server description and sibling tool names (fetch, fetch_multiple, search) confirms read-only behavior.
From the tool's definition Server description states it 'Searches academic references from arXiv, DBLP, Semantic Scholar, and OpenAlex' and 'generates BibTeX citations.' Tool name is 'search_reference' with empty description, consistent with the sibling tool 'search' which is a…
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access search_reference gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and BibTeX MCP Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for search_reference:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"search_reference": {}
}
}search_reference is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
Free to start. No card required.
search_reference. It is categorised as a Read tool in the BibTeX MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the BibTeX MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for search_reference: 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 BibTeX MCP Server. Nothing to install.
search_reference 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_reference 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_reference. 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_reference is provided by the BibTeX MCP Server MCP server (xeophon/bibtex-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from BibTeX MCP Server, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
Free to start. No card required.
4 BibTeX MCP Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.