AI agents call check_citations to retrieve information from Crossref Local without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
Despite the empty description reducing confidence slightly, the tool name and server context (citation analysis on a scholarly database) indicate this retrieves citation information. No evidence of write, delete, execute, or financial operations. Classified as Read with medium-high confidence; the empty description prevents full certainty.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'check_citations' with empty description; contextually part of a CrossRef database server offering 'citation analysis' capabilities. The prefix 'check_' and naming pattern suggest querying/retrieving citation data rather than modifying it.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access check_citations gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Crossref Local, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for check_citations:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"check_citations": {}
}
}check_citations is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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check_citations. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Crossref Local MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Crossref Local MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for check_citations: 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 Crossref Local. Nothing to install.
check_citations 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 check_citations 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 check_citations. 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.
check_citations is provided by the Crossref Local MCP server (ywatanabe1989/crossref-local). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Crossref Local, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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17 Crossref Local tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.