AI agents call obsidian_list_orphans to retrieve information from Obsidian without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool performs a read-only search across the Obsidian vault to identify orphaned notes. It retrieves and reports data about link structures but has no side effects—it does not create, modify, delete, or execute any operations. The query returns analytical results from existing note metadata, fitting the Read category (search/list/get pattern).
From the tool's definition Tool name 'obsidian_list_orphans' and description 'Finds notes that have no incoming wikilinks' indicate a query/search operation that retrieves information about note relationships without modifying, deleting, or executing code.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Finds notes that have no incoming wikilinks. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Obsidian MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Obsidian MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for obsidian_list_orphans: 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 Obsidian. Nothing to install.
obsidian_list_orphans 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 obsidian_list_orphans 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 obsidian_list_orphans. 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.
obsidian_list_orphans is provided by the Obsidian MCP server (yuchi-chang/obsidian-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Every MCP server has a record like this.
Type a name, get the same breakdown: verified identity, auth posture, risk grade, capabilities, recommended policy.
Teams ship this data inside their own products. See what a licence covers →