Glossary Systems and architecture
MCP (Model Context Protocol)
Open standard through which a model connects to tools and data sources.
What is MCP (Model Context Protocol)?
The Model Context Protocol is an open standard that lets language models access tools, files and data sources in a uniform way. Instead of building a bespoke interface per application, an MCP server announces its capabilities and the model calls them through a shared protocol.
What matters for security is mainly what such a server exposes. Every connected tool widens the model’s room for action, and the tool descriptions are themselves text that can be manipulated. Check the provenance and integrity of the servers, the permissions per tool, and whether calls are logged and approved where the effect is critical.
Threats using this term (2)
Entries in the threat catalogue whose text uses the term. Every link leads to the full threat page.
Related terms
More terms from the subject area Systems and architecture.
From the term into the substance
The link leads to the place on the website where the term becomes practical; the overview shows every term in the glossary by subject area.
Cite this term
For reports, policies or internal documents; the link leads directly to this term page.
“MCP (Model Context Protocol)”. Versatile AI Risk Assessment, glossary of AI risk analysis, as of September 2026. https://www.versatile-ai-risk-assessment.com/en/wissensbasis/glossary/mcp/