Resilient Cyber w/ Vineeth Sai Narajala: Model Context Protocol (MCP) - Potential & Pitfalls

In this episode, I discuss the Model Context Protocol (MCP) with the OWASP GenAI Co-Lead for Agentic Application Security, Vineeth Sai Narajala.

We will discuss MCP's potential and pitfalls, its role in the emerging Agentic AI ecosystem, and how security practitioners should consider secure MCP enablement.

We discussed:

• MCP 101, what it is and why it matters
• The role of MCP as a double-edged sword, offering opportunities but additional risks and considerations from a security perspective
• Vineeth's work on the "Vulnerable MCP" project is a repository of MCP risks, vulnerabilities, and corresponding mitigations.
• How MCP is also offering tremendous opportunities on the security-enabling side, extending security capabilities into AI-native platforms such as Claude and Cursor, and security vendors releasing their own MCP servers
• Where we see MCP heading from a research and implementation perspective

Additional Resources:

• Anthropic - Introducing the Model Context Protocol (MCP)
• Enhanced Tool Definition Interface (ETDI): A Security Fortification for the Model Context Protocol
• Enterprise-Grade Security for the Model Context Protocol (MCP): Frameworks and Mitigation Strategies
• Vulnerable MCP Project