Grades are a hygiene check, not a security guarantee.

MCP, MCP server

uspto_ptab_mcp

A high-performance Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for the USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Open Data Portal API with token-saving context reduction capabilities, hybrid document extraction, and seamless cross-MCP integration for complete patent lifecycl

Compatibility: Not stated.

Grade C

One Medium finding. Read the report before installing.

Graded by PlugVetRubric v2

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

INSTALL_REMOTE_SCRIPT

Why this grade

  • INSTALL_REMOTE_SCRIPT Medium

    Fetches a script from the network and runs it (a pipe to a shell, or an install hook with a URL).

    deploy/linux_setup.sh, line 34 if curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh; then

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

    Pass

    No shell or command execution found, and no extra permission was declared.

  • Install and update

    Serious

    install fetches a script from the network. The docs document an installer that pipes a download into a shell.

    INSTALL_REMOTE_SCRIPT INSTALL_DOCUMENTED_INSTALLER

    INSTALL.md, line 960

    curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

    deploy/linux_setup.sh, line 34

    if curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh; then

    deploy/linux_setup.sh, line 44

    echo -e "${YELLOW} curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh${NC}"

  • Network

    Concern

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

    NETWORK_NO_FIXED_HOST

    src/ptab_mcp/server_bootstrap.py, line 93

    response = requests.get(

    src/ptab_mcp/server_bootstrap.py, line 205

    response = requests.get(f"http://localhost:{port}/", timeout=_PROXY_HEALTH_TIMEOUT_SECONDS)

    src/ptab_mcp/server_bootstrap.py, line 257

    response = requests.get(f"{centralized_base_url}/", timeout=_PFW_PROBE_TIMEOUT_SECONDS)

    Show more

    src/ptab_mcp/server_bootstrap.py, line 284

    response = requests.get(f"{pfw_base}/", timeout=timeout)

    src/ptab_mcp/proxy/rate_limiter.py, line 103

    client_requests = self.requests.get(client_ip)

    src/ptab_mcp/proxy/rate_limiter.py, line 125

    client_requests = self.requests.get(client_ip)

    src/ptab_mcp/proxy/server.py, line 310

    const resp = await fetch('/api/recent-downloads?s=' + encodeURIComponent(viewerKey));

    src/ptab_mcp/shared/citations.py, line 25

    ``curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" -L <url>`` and answered 200, as did

    src/ptab_mcp/shared/citations.py, line 35

    guessed URL. If a further form is ever wanted, probe it with the curl line

  • Secrets

    Concern

    reads a credential or environment file.

    SECRETS_ENV_READ SECRETS_PATH_DOTENV

    deploy/linux_setup.sh, line 157

    uspto_key = os.environ.get('SETUP_USPTO_KEY', '')

    deploy/linux_setup.sh, line 167

    mistral_key = os.environ.get('SETUP_MISTRAL_KEY', '')

    src/ptab_mcp/main.py, line 25

    # A .env is loaded HERE, at the composition root, before runtime.py reads

    Show more

    src/ptab_mcp/main.py, line 29

    # walked UPWARD and read the PARENT directory's .env from a checkout one level

    src/ptab_mcp/middleware.py, line 58

    or os.environ.get("INTERNAL_AUTH_SECRET")

    src/ptab_mcp/server_bootstrap.py, line 432

    _auth_secret_check = get_internal_auth_secret() or os.environ.get("INTERNAL_AUTH_SECRET")

    src/ptab_mcp/api/ptab_client.py, line 171

    self.api_key = os.getenv("USPTO_API_KEY")

    src/ptab_mcp/auth/settings.py, line 47

    auth_jwt_secret=os.getenv("PTAB_AUTH_JWT_SECRET", ""),

    src/ptab_mcp/auth/settings.py, line 49

    auth_google_client_secret=os.getenv("PTAB_AUTH_GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET", ""),

    src/ptab_mcp/auth/settings.py, line 51

    auth_ms_client_secret=os.getenv("PTAB_AUTH_MS_CLIENT_SECRET", ""),

    src/ptab_mcp/config/settings.py, line 12

    Falls back to secure storage or .env file for API keys.

    src/ptab_mcp/config/settings.py, line 16

    env_prefix="", # No prefix - read from .env directly

    src/ptab_mcp/config/settings.py, line 18

    env_file=".env",

    src/ptab_mcp/proxy/server.py, line 30

    #: This repository's own .env. Resolved explicitly rather than by

    src/ptab_mcp/proxy/server.py, line 32

    _REPO_ENV_FILE = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[3] / ".env"

    src/ptab_mcp/proxy/server.py, line 36

    """Load THIS REPO'S .env into the process environment. Entry points only.

  • 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.

    OBFUSCATION_FILE_OVER_READ_CAP

    uv.lock, line 1

    version = 1

  • 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 11e7ce5c4c4a. install fetches a script from the network. The docs document an installer that pipes a download into a shell. 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.

Date and source

Date checked:

View source

github.com

Commit graded: 11e7ce5c4c4adbbb8599fa30f50fa1d518f9bfe9

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Read how this letter is chosen