safe-mcp

SAFE-MCP: Security Analysis Framework for Evaluation of Model Context Protocol

About SAFE-MCP

SAFE-MCP is a comprehensive security framework for documenting and mitigating threats in the Model Context Protocol (MCP) ecosystem. This framework adapts the proven MITRE ATT&CK methodology specifically for MCP environments, providing structured documentation of adversary tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) that target MCP implementations and AI-powered applications.

Key Features

• MITRE ATT&CK Alignment: We use patterns and methodologies from the MITRE ATT&CK Framework, explicitly targeting MCP-specific threats while maintaining compatibility with established security practices.
• Compliance Mapping: Each SAFE-MCP technique links to corresponding MITRE ATT&CK techniques where applicable, helping organizations determine compliance with existing security frameworks and controls.
• Comprehensive Coverage: Documenting attack techniques across 14 tactical categories, from initial access to impact, with continuous additions as new threats emerge.
• Actionable Mitigations: Each technique includes detailed mitigation strategies and detection rules to help defenders protect their MCP deployments.

How to Use This Framework

1. Security Teams: Use the TTP reference table below to understand potential threats to your MCP implementation
2. Developers: Review techniques relevant to your MCP tools and implement recommended mitigations
3. Compliance Officers: Map SAFE-MCP techniques to your existing security controls via MITRE ATT&CK linkages
4. Red Teams: Reference attack techniques for security testing of MCP deployments

TTP Reference Table

This table provides a comprehensive reference of all Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) defined in the SAFE-MCP framework.

SAFE-MCP Tactics

The SAFE-MCP framework defines 14 tactics that align with the MITRE ATT&CK methodology:

Tactic ID	Tactic Name	Description
ATK-TA0043	Reconnaissance	The adversary is trying to gather information they can use to plan future operations
ATK-TA0042	Resource Development	The adversary is trying to establish resources they can use to support operations
ATK-TA0001	Initial Access	The adversary is trying to get into your MCP environment
ATK-TA0002	Execution	The adversary is trying to run malicious code via MCP
ATK-TA0003	Persistence	The adversary is trying to maintain their foothold in MCP
ATK-TA0004	Privilege Escalation	The adversary is trying to gain higher-level permissions
ATK-TA0005	Defense Evasion	The adversary is trying to avoid being detected
ATK-TA0006	Credential Access	The adversary is trying to steal account names and passwords
ATK-TA0007	Discovery	The adversary is trying to figure out your MCP environment
ATK-TA0008	Lateral Movement	The adversary is trying to move through your environment
ATK-TA0009	Collection	The adversary is trying to gather data of interest
ATK-TA0011	Command and Control	The adversary is trying to communicate with compromised systems
ATK-TA0010	Exfiltration	The adversary is trying to steal data
ATK-TA0040	Impact	The adversary is trying to manipulate, interrupt, or destroy systems and data

TTP Overview

Tactic ID	Tactic Name	Technique ID	Technique Name	Description
ATK-TA0043	Reconnaissance			No MCP-specific techniques currently documented
ATK-TA0042	Resource Development			No MCP-specific techniques currently documented
ATK-TA0001	Initial Access	SAFE-T1001	Tool Poisoning Attack (TPA)	Attackers embed malicious instructions within MCP tool descriptions that are invisible to users but processed by LLMs
ATK-TA0001	Initial Access	SAFE-T1002	Supply Chain Compromise	Distribution of backdoored MCP server packages through unofficial repositories or compromised legitimate sources
ATK-TA0001	Initial Access	SAFE-T1003	Malicious MCP-Server Distribution	Adversary ships a trojanized server package or Docker image that users install, gaining foothold when the host registers its tools
ATK-TA0001	Initial Access	SAFE-T1004	Server Impersonation / Name-Collision	Attacker registers a server with the same name/URL as a trusted one, or hijacks discovery, so the client connects to them instead
ATK-TA0001	Initial Access	SAFE-T1005	Exposed Endpoint Exploit	Misconfigured public MCP endpoints (no auth, debug on) let attackers connect, enumerate tools or trigger RCE
ATK-TA0001	Initial Access	SAFE-T1006	User-Social-Engineering Install	Phishing/social posts persuade developers to "try this cool tool"; the installer silently registers dangerous capabilities
ATK-TA0001	Initial Access	SAFE-T1007	OAuth Authorization Phishing	Malicious MCP servers exploit OAuth flows to steal access tokens from legitimate services by tricking users during authorization
ATK-TA0001	Initial Access	SAFE-T1008	Authorization Server Mix-up	Client follows redirect to look-alike AS domain (e.g., accounts-google.com vs accounts.google.com), causing authorization codes or tokens to be leaked to attacker-controlled server
ATK-TA0002	Execution	SAFE-T1101	Command Injection	Exploitation of unsanitized input in MCP server implementations leading to remote code execution
ATK-TA0002	Execution	SAFE-T1102	Prompt Injection (Multiple Vectors)	Malicious instructions injected through various vectors to manipulate AI behavior via MCP
ATK-TA0002	Execution	SAFE-T1103	Fake Tool Invocation (Function Spoofing)	Adversary forges JSON that mimics an MCP function-call message, tricking the host into running a tool that was never offered
ATK-TA0002	Execution	SAFE-T1104	Over-Privileged Tool Abuse	Legit tool (e.g. "Shell") runs with broader OS rights than necessary; LLM can be induced to perform arbitrary commands
ATK-TA0002	Execution	SAFE-T1105	Path Traversal via File Tool	File-handling tool accepts relative paths like ../../secret.key; attacker leaks host secrets
ATK-TA0002	Execution	SAFE-T1106	Autonomous Loop Exploit	Craft prompts that push an agent into infinite "self-invoke" loop to exhaust CPU or hit rate limits (DoS)
ATK-TA0002	Execution	SAFE-T1109	Debugging Tool Exploitation	Browser-based remote code execution via vulnerable MCP Inspector (CVE-2025-49596)
ATK-TA0003	Persistence	SAFE-T1201	MCP Rug Pull Attack	Time-delayed malicious tool definition changes after initial approval
ATK-TA0003	Persistence	SAFE-T1202	OAuth Token Persistence	Theft and reuse of OAuth access/refresh tokens for persistent access to MCP-connected services, including replay of refresh tokens after legitimate client sessions end
ATK-TA0003	Persistence	SAFE-T1203	Backdoored Server Binary	Inserts cron job or reverse shell on install; persists even if MCP service is uninstalled
ATK-TA0003	Persistence	SAFE-T1204	Context Memory Implant	Malicious agent writes itself into long-term vector store; re-loaded in every future session
ATK-TA0003	Persistence	SAFE-T1205	Persistent Tool Redefinition	Attacker modifies server's tool metadata to keep hidden commands across restarts
ATK-TA0003	Persistence	SAFE-T1206	Credential Implant in Config	Adds attacker's API/SSH keys to server .env, giving re-entry
ATK-TA0003	Persistence	SAFE-T1207	Hijack Update Mechanism	Man-in-the-middle an auto-update channel to re-install malicious build later on
ATK-TA0004	Privilege Escalation	SAFE-T1301	Cross-Server Tool Shadowing	Malicious MCP servers override legitimate tool calls to gain elevated privileges
ATK-TA0004	Privilege Escalation	SAFE-T1302	High-Privilege Tool Abuse	Invoke a VM-level or root tool from normal user context
ATK-TA0004	Privilege Escalation	SAFE-T1303	Sandbox Escape via Server Exec	Exploit vulnerable server to break container/seccomp isolation
ATK-TA0004	Privilege Escalation	SAFE-T1304	Credential Relay Chain	Use one tool to steal tokens, feed them to second tool with higher privileges
ATK-TA0004	Privilege Escalation	SAFE-T1305	Host OS Priv-Esc (RCE)	Achieve root via misconfigured service running as root, then alter host
ATK-TA0004	Privilege Escalation	SAFE-T1306	Rogue Authorization Server	Malicious MCP server redirects OAuth flows to attacker-controlled AS that ignores audience restrictions and Proof of Possession (PoP), minting overly-permissive "super-tokens" with expanded scopes
ATK-TA0004	Privilege Escalation	SAFE-T1307	Confused Deputy Attack	MCP server receives token for one user (Alice) and forwards it to another user's (Bob) MCP instance, allowing Bob to perform actions as Alice by exploiting the server's trusted position
ATK-TA0004	Privilege Escalation	SAFE-T1308	Token Scope Substitution	Attacker swaps a limited-scope token with one that has broader permissions but same audience, exploiting insufficient scope validation to gain elevated privileges
ATK-TA0005	Defense Evasion	SAFE-T1401	Line Jumping	Bypassing security checkpoints through context injection before tool invocation
ATK-TA0005	Defense Evasion	SAFE-T1402	Instruction Steganography	Zero-width chars/HTML comments hide directives in tool metadata
ATK-TA0005	Defense Evasion	SAFE-T1403	Consent-Fatigue Exploit	Repeated benign prompts desensitize user; crucial request hidden mid-flow
ATK-TA0005	Defense Evasion	SAFE-T1404	Response Tampering	Model instructed not to mention risky action, keeping UI output "harmless"
ATK-TA0005	Defense Evasion	SAFE-T1405	Tool Obfuscation/Renaming	Malicious tool named "Utils-Helper" to blend in among 30 legit tools
ATK-TA0005	Defense Evasion	SAFE-T1406	Metadata Manipulation	Strip safety flags or lower risk scores in tool manifest before host logs it
ATK-TA0005	Defense Evasion	SAFE-T1407	Server Proxy Masquerade	Malicious server silently proxies legit API so traffic looks normal in network logs
ATK-TA0005	Defense Evasion	SAFE-T1408	OAuth Protocol Downgrade	Attacker forces use of less secure OAuth 2.0 implicit flow instead of authorization code flow, bypassing PKCE protections and enabling easier token theft
ATK-TA0006	Credential Access	SAFE-T1501	Full-Schema Poisoning (FSP)	Exploitation of entire MCP tool schema beyond descriptions for credential theft
ATK-TA0006	Credential Access	SAFE-T1502	File-Based Credential Harvest	Use file tools to read SSH keys, cloud creds
ATK-TA0006	Credential Access	SAFE-T1503	Env-Var Scraping	Ask read_file for .env; exfil API secrets
ATK-TA0006	Credential Access	SAFE-T1504	Token Theft via API Response	Prompt LLM to call "session.token" tool, then leak result
ATK-TA0006	Credential Access	SAFE-T1505	In-Memory Secret Extraction	Query vector store for "api_key" embedding strings
ATK-TA0006	Credential Access	SAFE-T1506	Infrastructure Token Theft	Steal OAuth/session tokens from logs, TLS termination proxies, or other infrastructure components where tokens may be inadvertently stored or exposed, then replay at intended service
ATK-TA0006	Credential Access	SAFE-T1507	Authorization Code Interception	Man-in-the-browser attack steals OAuth authorization codes during the redirect flow and attempts to exchange them at the token endpoint before the legitimate client
ATK-TA0007	Discovery	SAFE-T1601	MCP Server Enumeration	Unauthorized discovery and mapping of available MCP servers and tools
ATK-TA0007	Discovery	SAFE-T1602	Tool Enumeration	Call tools/list to see available functions
ATK-TA0007	Discovery	SAFE-T1603	System-Prompt Disclosure	Coax model into printing its system prompt/tool JSON
ATK-TA0007	Discovery	SAFE-T1604	Server Version Enumeration	GET /version or header analysis for vulnerable builds
ATK-TA0007	Discovery	SAFE-T1605	Capability Mapping	Ask "what can you do?"; model outlines high-value tools
ATK-TA0007	Discovery	SAFE-T1606	Directory Listing via File Tool	List root dir to find sensitive paths
ATK-TA0008	Lateral Movement	SAFE-T1701	Cross-Tool Contamination	Using compromised MCP tools to access other connected services and systems
ATK-TA0008	Lateral Movement	SAFE-T1702	Shared-Memory Poisoning	Write false tasks to shared vector DB so peer agents execute them
ATK-TA0008	Lateral Movement	SAFE-T1703	Tool-Chaining Pivot	Compromise low-priv tool, then leverage it to call another privileged tool indirectly
ATK-TA0008	Lateral Movement	SAFE-T1704	Compromised-Server Pivot	Use hijacked server as beachhead to infect other hosts in same IDE/workspace
ATK-TA0008	Lateral Movement	SAFE-T1705	Cross-Agent Instruction Injection	Inject directives in multi-agent message bus to seize control of cooperating agents
ATK-TA0008	Lateral Movement	SAFE-T1706	OAuth Token Pivot Replay	Attacker reuses OAuth tokens across different services by exploiting either shared Authorization Server trust (e.g., GitHub token used at Slack) or Resource Servers that fail to validate audience claims, enabling unauthorized cross-service access
ATK-TA0008	Lateral Movement	SAFE-T1707	CSRF Token Relay	Leaked OAuth token is passed via Cross-Site Request Forgery to access different resources on the same Resource Server (e.g., pivoting between GCP projects under same Google AS)
ATK-TA0009	Collection	SAFE-T1801	Automated Data Harvesting	Systematic data collection through manipulated MCP tool calls
ATK-TA0009	Collection	SAFE-T1802	File Collection	Batch-read sensitive files for later exfil
ATK-TA0009	Collection	SAFE-T1803	Database Dump	Use SQL tool to SELECT * from prod DB
ATK-TA0009	Collection	SAFE-T1804	API Data Harvest	Loop over customer REST endpoints via HTTP tool
ATK-TA0009	Collection	SAFE-T1805	Context Snapshot Capture	Query vector store embeddings wholesale
ATK-TA0011	Command and Control	SAFE-T1901	Outbound Webhook C2	LLM calls "http.post" to attacker URL with commands/results
ATK-TA0011	Command and Control	SAFE-T1902	Covert Channel in Responses	Encode data in whitespace or markdown links returned to chat
ATK-TA0011	Command and Control	SAFE-T1903	Malicious Server Control Channel	Attacker operates rogue server; every tool call doubles as heartbeat
ATK-TA0011	Command and Control	SAFE-T1904	Chat-Based Backchannel	LLM embeds base64 blobs in normal answers that another bot decodes
ATK-TA0010	Exfiltration	SAFE-T1910	Covert Channel Exfiltration	Data smuggling through tool parameters, error messages, or legitimate-appearing operations
ATK-TA0010	Exfiltration	SAFE-T1911	Parameter Exfiltration	Sneak secrets into unused JSON arg (note)
ATK-TA0010	Exfiltration	SAFE-T1912	Stego Response Exfil	Hide data in code blocks shown to user then copied elsewhere
ATK-TA0010	Exfiltration	SAFE-T1913	HTTP POST Exfil	Use outbound web tool to POST to attacker server
ATK-TA0010	Exfiltration	SAFE-T1914	Tool-to-Tool Exfil	Chain two tools so second one emails data out
ATK-TA0040	Impact	SAFE-T2101	Data Destruction	delete_file or drop_table commands wipe assets
ATK-TA0040	Impact	SAFE-T2102	Service Disruption	Flood external API causing rate-limit or DoS
ATK-TA0040	Impact	SAFE-T2103	Code Sabotage	Agent commits malicious PR into repo
ATK-TA0040	Impact	SAFE-T2104	Fraudulent Transactions	Payment-tool instructed to move funds
ATK-TA0040	Impact	SAFE-T2105	Disinformation Output	Manipulate LLM to generate false or harmful content to downstream consumers

Summary Statistics

• Total Tactics: 14
• Total Techniques: 77
• Average Techniques per Tactic: 5.5

Tactic Distribution

Tactic	Number of Techniques
Reconnaissance	0
Resource Development	0
Initial Access	8
Execution	7
Persistence	7
Privilege Escalation	8
Defense Evasion	8
Credential Access	7
Discovery	6
Lateral Movement	7
Collection	5
Command and Control	4
Exfiltration	5
Impact	5

Usage Guidelines

• Use technique IDs (e.g., SAFE-T1001) for consistent reference across documentation
• Map these techniques to your specific MCP deployment for risk assessment
• Prioritize mitigation based on your threat model and the techniques most relevant to your environment
• Regular review as new techniques emerge in the rapidly evolving MCP threat landscape