From 934fdf5190c6bcd1d1dfffe6a0c02dab52328433 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: anandgupta42 Date: Fri, 20 Mar 2026 17:32:56 -0700 Subject: [PATCH] docs: add MCP auto-discovery section to security FAQ Documents the new auto-discovery feature (#311) in the security FAQ, covering supported config sources, trust model for home vs project-scoped servers, security hardening, and how to disable the feature. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) --- docs/docs/reference/security-faq.md | 33 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 33 insertions(+) diff --git a/docs/docs/reference/security-faq.md b/docs/docs/reference/security-faq.md index 3206c435e9..66af8b54ec 100644 --- a/docs/docs/reference/security-faq.md +++ b/docs/docs/reference/security-faq.md @@ -152,6 +152,39 @@ MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers extend Altimate Code with additional tools. !!! warning Third-party MCP servers are not reviewed or audited by Altimate. Treat them like any other third-party dependency: review the source, check for updates, and limit their access. +## What is MCP auto-discovery? + +Altimate Code can automatically discover MCP server definitions from other AI tools installed on your machine. This saves you from manually re-configuring servers you already use elsewhere. Sources include: + +| Source | Config file | Scope | +|--------|------------|-------| +| VS Code | `.vscode/mcp.json` | Project | +| Cursor | `.cursor/mcp.json` | Project | +| GitHub Copilot | `.github/copilot/mcp.json` | Project | +| Claude Code | `.mcp.json` | Project + Home | +| Gemini CLI | `.gemini/settings.json` | Project + Home | +| Claude Desktop | `~/.claude.json` | Home | + +**Security model:** + +- **Home-directory configs** (your personal machine config) are treated as trusted and auto-enabled, since you installed them. +- **Project-scoped configs** (checked into a repo) are discovered but **disabled by default**. You must explicitly approve them via the `/discover-and-add-mcps` tool before they run. +- **Sensitive details are redacted** in discovery notifications. Server commands and URLs are only shown when you explicitly inspect them. +- **Prototype pollution, command injection, and path traversal** are hardened against with input validation and `Object.create(null)` result objects. + +**To disable auto-discovery entirely:** + +```json +{ + "experimental": { + "auto_mcp_discovery": false + } +} +``` + +!!! tip + If your project repository contains `.vscode/mcp.json` or similar config files from other contributors, auto-discovery will find them but **will not start them** until you approve. Always review discovered servers before enabling them. + ## How does the SQL analysis engine work? As of v0.4.2, all 73 tool methods run natively in TypeScript via `@altimateai/altimate-core` (Rust napi-rs bindings). There is no Python dependency. The engine executes in-process with no subprocess, no network port, and no external service.