Three-Tier Framework Maps MCP Vulnerabilities
Original title: Where Does MCP Security End? A Three-Tier Mitigation Mapping Framework for the OWASP MCP Top 10
MCP's blended data/control planes create unmitigable prompt injection and confused deputy issues beyond server fixes.
The OWASP MCP Top 10 is mapped to a three-tier architecture (server, gateway, protocol) using Design Science Research. A cascading decision tree classifies vulnerabilities with reproducible high-confidence assignments. Validation on an enterprise MFT MCP server in Go shows server-tier controls succeed while protocol-tier limits prevent full mitigation. This defines secure-by-design boundaries for LLM tool integration.
- Framework uses four-question decision tree for tier assignments
- High-confidence server controls validated in Go-based MFT server
- Protocol-tier controls fail due to architectural limits
- SDLC cannot eliminate all MCP risks
- Cascading tree enables independent tier decisions
From the original article
1 min read at arxiv.orgThe Model Context Protocol (MCP) has become a leading standard for connecting Large Language Models (LLMs) to external tools, software, and data sources. MCP architecture favors ease of integration over security, blending the data and control planes into a single natural language channel.
By Christopher Krakauer · arxiv.org
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