MCP, MCP server
ken
Fast hybrid code search for agents. Pure Go, single static binary, drop-in MCP-compatible with MinishLab/semble — same tool schemas, same output format, install steps swapped to a Go binary.
Compatibility: Not stated.
Grade B
Minor issues only, no Medium or High. Worth a quick look at the findings below before installing.
Not a guarantee. A hygiene check of the source at the commit shown, not a security audit.
Rescanned at commit 5795b01ce219, unchanged since the check below.
NETWORK_NO_FIXED_HOST SECRETS_PATH_DOTENV PERMISSION_SHELL_DECLARED SECRETS_ENV_READ OBFUSCATION_FILE_OVER_READ_CAP OBFUSCATION_FILE_CAP_REACHED
Why this grade
- NETWORK_NO_FIXED_HOST Low
Makes a network call whose host is not written as a fixed address.
bench/ndcg/qgraph_test.go, line 92
overFetch := envInt("KEN_QGRAPH_K", candidatesPerQuery) // baseline over-fetch (per-chunk before file-dedup) - SECRETS_PATH_DOTENV Low
Mentions a .env file.
internal/db/mysql.go, line 169
// from .env files that often omit this and end up with []byte - PERMISSION_SHELL_DECLARED Note
Runs shell commands, and the manifest or description says so.
bench/internal/provenance/provenance.go, line 344
cmd := exec.Command("git", args...) - SECRETS_ENV_READ Note
Reads an environment variable whose name contains KEY, SECRET, TOKEN, PASSWORD or CREDENTIAL.
bench/tokens/semble_test.go, line 76
switch os.Getenv("KEN_TOKENS_MODE") { - OBFUSCATION_FILE_OVER_READ_CAP Note
A file was over the read cap and was not fully read.
docs/internal/DECISIONS.md, line 1
# Decisions - OBFUSCATION_FILE_CAP_REACHED Note
The 400 file cap was reached before every file was read.
docs/internal/DECISIONS.md, line 1
# Decisions
Any High, or two or more Medium findings, give D. One Medium gives C. Low findings or a security Note give B. Each code names a finding behind the letter.
Grades are a hygiene check of the source at the commit shown, on the date checked, not a security audit or a guarantee. The free directory grades are automated. Before release, a PlugVet engineer reviews every paid report and any grade we hold back, including all F grades, against the source code and the evidence we quote.
What was checked
Plain notes from the hygiene checks.
Permissions
Note
requests shell access. The manifest names this permission.
PERMISSION_SHELL_DECLARED
bench/internal/provenance/provenance.go, line 344
cmd := exec.Command("git", args...)
bench/semble/run_ken.py, line 205
proc = subprocess.run(
bench/semble/run_ken.py, line 895
proc = subprocess.run(
Show more
bench/semble/run_ken.py, line 959
proc = subprocess.run(
cmd/ken/build_index_test.go, line 21
out, err := exec.Command("go", "build", "-o", binPath, "github.com/townsendmerino/ken/cmd/ken").CombinedOutput()
cmd/ken/build_index_test.go, line 72
cmd := exec.Command(binPath, "build-index", corpusDir,
cmd/ken/build_index_test.go, line 131
cmd := exec.Command(binPath, "build-index", corpusDir, "-o", outPath, "--mode", "bm25")
cmd/ken/build_index_test.go, line 144
cmd2 := exec.Command(binPath, "build-index", corpusDir, "-o", outPath, "--mode", "bm25")
Install and update
Pass
No install-time script found, and dependencies are pinned or absent.
Network
Concern
can reach a host that is not written as a fixed address.
NETWORK_NO_FIXED_HOST
bench/ndcg/qgraph_test.go, line 92
overFetch := envInt("KEN_QGRAPH_K", candidatesPerQuery) // baseline over-fetch (per-chunk before file-dedup)
cmd/ken-mcp/main.go, line 169
if _, err := fetch(ctx, dest); err != nil {
cmd/ken-mcp/main.go, line 544
// Background model auto-fetch (KEN_MCP_AUTO_FETCH, default on). When the
Show more
internal/modelfetch/fetch_test.go, line 356
t.Errorf("%s missing/empty after Xet fetch (err=%v)", name, err)
internal/search/index.go, line 23
// - candidate over-fetch (k*5) BEFORE any boosting
internal/search/index.go, line 125
// same serve-bm25-then-upgrade pattern as model auto-fetch (ADR-037).
internal/search/index.go, line 1190
// M4: deep over-fetch (rerankN) from stage-1 hybrid, tombstone-filter
ARCHITECTURE.md, line 79
Long-lived goroutines and who owns them: the SDK stdio loop (process lifetime); one fsnotify + one debouncer goroutine per `WatchedIndex` (owned by the Cache, shut down on eviction
Secrets
Concern
reads a credential or environment file.
SECRETS_ENV_READ SECRETS_PATH_DOTENV
bench/tokens/semble_test.go, line 76
switch os.Getenv("KEN_TOKENS_MODE") {
bench/tokens/semble_test.go, line 87
t.Skipf("KEN_TOKENS_MODE=%s needs a model; none at %s", os.Getenv("KEN_TOKENS_MODE"), tokModelDir)
internal/db/mysql.go, line 169
// from .env files that often omit this and end up with []byte
Show more
cmd/ken-mcp/transport.go, line 73
if path := strings.TrimSpace(os.Getenv("KEN_MCP_AUTH_TOKEN_FILE")); path != "" {
cmd/ken-mcp/transport.go, line 81
return strings.TrimSpace(os.Getenv("KEN_MCP_AUTH_TOKEN"))
docs/db-indexing.md, line 122
- `alice:s3cret@tcp(db.local:3306)/mydb?parseTime=true` - native go-sql-driver form, accepted directly because that's what most .env files in the wild already contain.
Agent instructions
Pass
No instruction to ignore earlier instructions or to hide a step.
Obfuscation
Note
a file was over the read cap and was not fully read. the file cap was reached before every file was read.
OBFUSCATION_FILE_OVER_READ_CAP OBFUSCATION_FILE_CAP_REACHED
docs/internal/DECISIONS.md, line 1
# Decisions
scripts/bench_csn_nl.py, line 1
#!/usr/bin/env python3
Licence
Pass
A licence file is present (LICENSE).
Maintainer activity
Pass
The latest commit is within the last 365 days.
Note
Hygiene check of commit 5795b01ce219. requests shell access. The manifest names this permission. can reach a host that is not written as a fixed address. reads a credential or environment file. a file was over the read cap and was not fully read. the file cap was reached before every file was read.
Date and source
Date checked:
github.com
Commit graded: 5795b01ce2194fa4db712e66f874cc623e89fd8a
This link goes to the original host. PlugVet does not host or check what you download from there, and installing it is your own decision and risk.