diff --git a/docs/concepts/transports.mdx b/docs/concepts/transports.mdx index 08c2768..a1218d4 100644 --- a/docs/concepts/transports.mdx +++ b/docs/concepts/transports.mdx @@ -358,29 +358,85 @@ When implementing or using MCP transport: 9. Monitor connection health 10. Implement proper security measures +--- + ## Security Considerations When implementing transport: ### Authentication and Authorization -- Implement proper authentication mechanisms -- Validate client credentials -- Use secure token handling -- Implement authorization checks + +- **Adopt standardized protocols:** + Use established protocols such as OAuth 2.0/OAuth 2.1 or OpenID Connect. These provide secure frameworks for issuing, managing, and revoking tokens. + *Example:* In a Node.js service, you might use [Passport.js](http://www.passportjs.org/) with an OAuth 2.0 strategy to validate client credentials. + +- **Validate client credentials:** + - **Store credentials securely:** Use a secure database (with encryption at rest) to store client secrets. For example, [Cyberark Conjur](https://www.conjur.org), [IBM/Hashicorp's Vault](https://www.hashicorp.com/en/products/vault), [Infiscal](https://infisical.com), etc. + +- **Use secure token handling:** + - **Use JWTs (JSON Web Tokens):** JWTs can be signed and optionally encrypted. Ensure they have expiration times and support token rotation. + - **Secure storage:** Ensure tokens are stored securely on the client side (using HttpOnly cookies or secure storage in mobile apps). + - **Revocation:** Implement mechanisms to revoke tokens if suspicious behavior is detected. + +- **Implement authorization checks:** + - **Role-based Access Control (RBAC):** Define roles and permissions. For example, allow only users with the “admin” role to perform sensitive operations. + - **Access Control Lists (ACLs):** Use ACLs to enforce which endpoints and data a user or service can access. + - **Policy enforcement:** Integrate middleware in your service stack that checks the incoming request’s credentials and required permissions before proceeding. ### Data Security -- Use TLS for network transport -- Encrypt sensitive data -- Validate message integrity -- Implement message size limits -- Sanitize input data + +**Use TLS for network transport.** + +- Ensure that your servers are configured to use HTTPS by installing valid TLS certificates (e.g., from Let’s Encrypt or your organization's certificate authority [CA] server). +- Configure your web server (Nginx, Apache, etc.) to enforce strong cipher suites and disable outdated protocols. + +**Sanitize input data:** + +- **Input validation libraries:** + Use libraries that validate and sanitize user inputs to prevent injection attacks (SQL injection, XSS, etc.). + *Example:* In Python, the `bleach` library can help sanitize HTML content; in JavaScript, you might use `DOMPurify`. + ### Network Security -- Implement rate limiting -- Use appropriate timeouts -- Handle denial of service scenarios -- Monitor for unusual patterns -- Implement proper firewall rules + +**Implement rate limiting:** + +- **Middleware or API gateways:** + Use tools or libraries (e.g., `express-rate-limit` for Node.js or rate limiting settings in Nginx) to restrict the number of requests per IP or per client over a period. + +- **Burst control:** + Consider a “burst” limit to allow short spikes but then slow down if the limit is exceeded. + +**Use appropriate timeouts:** + +- **Set server/client timeouts:** + Define connection, read, and write timeouts on both the server side and client requests. This helps to avoid hanging connections that can be exploited in DoS attacks. + +- **Configuration:** + Adjust timeout settings in your web server configuration or application-level HTTP client libraries. + +**Handle denial of service (DoS) scenarios:** + +- **Resource throttling:** + Implement circuit breakers or throttling logic to cut off excessive or malicious requests. + +**Monitor for unusual patterns:** + +- **Logging and SIEM integration:** + Set up logging for all network interactions and integrate with a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system. Tools like Splunk, Graylog, or ELK can help analyze patterns. + +**Implement proper firewall rules:** + +- **Network firewalls:** + Configure firewalls (hardware or cloud-based security groups) to allow only necessary ports and protocols. + +- **Application firewalls:** + Utilize Web Application Firewalls (WAF) to filter out malicious HTTP requests. + +- **Segmentation:** + Apply network segmentation so that if one segment is compromised, the attacker’s movement is limited. + +--- ## Debugging Transport