In Part 3 of this four-part series, we delve into the security risks associated with Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers and AI skills. Unlike typical libraries, MCP servers operate autonomously on your machine with their own credentials, network access, and filesystem permissions. This separation of processes raises significant security concerns, particularly with supply-chain attacks, where a single compromised dependency can ripple through thousands of installations.
Research highlights vulnerabilities in marketplaces for AI tools, susceptible to trust signal manipulation, making it easier for malicious extensions to infiltrate systems. The focus then shifts to practical defenses: clone and audit code directly from repositories instead of relying on potentially compromised package registries. This approach not only enhances security but also grants developers more control over the codebase.
Finally, users must rigorously evaluate AI skills and MCP servers, reading instructions thoroughly and inspecting code for malicious patterns. In Part 4, we’ll explore leveraging AI agents for enhanced security and orchestration.
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