Grades are a hygiene check, not a security guarantee.

MCP, MCP server

Mcp Debug

mcp-debug is a command-line tool for debugging MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers.

Compatibility: Not stated.

Grade C

One Medium finding. Read the findings before installing.

Graded by PlugVetRubric v2

Not a guarantee. A hygiene check of the source at the commit shown, not a security audit.

Rescanned at commit 9e8c499cfe18.

PERMISSION_SHELL_UNDECLARED

Why this grade

  • PERMISSION_SHELL_UNDECLARED Medium

    Runs shell commands that the manifest or description does not mention.

    internal/agent/oauth_mcp.go, line 321 cmd = exec.Command("xdg-open", urlStr) //nolint:gosec // G204: fixed opener, URL validated above

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

    Concern

    requests shell access. No manifest field names shell or command execution.

    PERMISSION_SHELL_UNDECLARED

    internal/agent/oauth_mcp.go, line 321

    cmd = exec.Command("xdg-open", urlStr) //nolint:gosec // G204: fixed opener, URL validated above

    internal/agent/oauth_mcp.go, line 323

    cmd = exec.Command("open", urlStr) //nolint:gosec // G204: fixed opener, URL validated above

    internal/agent/oauth_mcp.go, line 325

    cmd = exec.Command("rundll32", "url.dll,FileProtocolHandler", urlStr) //nolint:gosec // G204: fixed opener, URL validated above

  • Install and update

    Note

    The docs document an installer that pipes a download into a shell.

    INSTALL_DOCUMENTED_INSTALLER

    docs/usage.md, line 54

    curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/giantswarm/mcp-debug/main/install.sh | bash

  • Network

    Concern

    can reach a host that is not written as a fixed address.

    NETWORK_NO_FIXED_HOST

    install.sh, line 14

    for tool in curl grep sed tr uname; do

    install.sh, line 40

    LATEST_TAG=$(curl -s "$API_URL" | grep '"tag_name":' | sed -E 's/.*"([^"]+)".*/\1/')

    install.sh, line 58

    curl -fL -o mcp-debug "${DOWNLOAD_URL}"

  • Secrets

    Concern

    reads a credential or environment file.

    SECRETS_PATH_DOTENV

    docs/oauth/examples/02-pre-registered.md, line 130

    # .env file (add to .gitignore)

    docs/oauth/examples/02-pre-registered.md, line 135

    source .env

  • Agent instructions

    Pass

    No instruction to ignore earlier instructions or to hide a step.

  • Obfuscation

    Pass

    No encoded or minified payload found.

  • Licence

    Pass

    A licence file is present (LICENSE).

  • Maintainer activity

    Pass

    The latest commit is within the last 365 days.

Get the full report on this tool, £49

Note

Hygiene check of commit 9e8c499cfe18. requests shell access. No manifest field names shell or command execution. can reach a host that is not written as a fixed address. reads a credential or environment file.

Date and source

Date checked:

View source

github.com

Commit graded: 9e8c499cfe18337681cd6ab7dd0195d228bab67e

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.

Read how this letter is chosen