MCPermit – The Permissions Gateway for Agentic AI Tools (MCPs)
MCPermit is a security gateway that provides instant control and visibility over every Model Context Protocol (MCP) server interaction. With a single configuration change, it wraps AI agents' tool access in enterprise-grade security, offering identity-based access checks, comprehensive audit trails, and human-in-the-loop approvals-all without requiring SDKs or code changes.
The Challenge: Uncontrolled AI Agents and Invisible Risks
Enterprise adoption of agentic AI is surging, but security controls haven't kept pace. Teams deploy and consume MCP servers - the "USB-C for AI" that lets LLM agents plug into apps and data-without consistent oversight. Traditional API gateways and IAM tools were never designed for autonomous, context-driven agents.
Organizations and CISOs face critical questions:
- Which AI agents are touching which systems?
- What data are they accessing?
- Who ultimately authorized those actions?
The Solution: MCPermit Gateway
MCPermit acts as a smart proxy between AI agents (MCP clients) and the tools or data they seek (MCP servers). It authenticates, authorizes, and audits every interaction, functioning as a zero-trust checkpoint for AI actions:
- Authenticate the originator (human) and the agent acting on their behalf
- Authorize the requested action against fine-grained policy
- Audit the outcome for compliance and threat-hunting
All this happens transparently-no modification to AI agents or MCP servers, just a URL switch.
Key Capabilities
Fine-Grained ReBAC, Identity-Based Access Control
- Combine user identity, agent identity, and resource scope in one policy
- Enforce true least-privilege down to individual MCP functions
Unified Policy Management
- One central policy layer instead of scattered configs
- Rules consistently apply to internal or third-party MCP servers
Complete Visibility & Auditing
- Real-time logs of every agent action with rich context
- Immediate traceability for incident response and compliance reporting
Human-in-the-Loop Workflows
- Configurable step-up approvals for sensitive operations
- Optional but critical when AI touches high-risk data or funds
Enterprise Integration
- Leverages existing SSO (OIDC, SAML, LDAP)
- Aligns agent permissions with HR groups and existing role structures
Zero-Code Deployment
- Works as a proxy; adopt by routing MCP traffic to the gateway
- Roll out governance in minutes, even across dozens of AI integrations
Compliance Assurance
- Enforce data-privacy rules (GDPR, HIPAA) and strengthen SOC 2 controls
- Stop unauthorized PII access or data exfiltration before it happens
Current Security Risks & Compliance Gaps
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Lack of Visibility & Oversight
- AI agents often act with powerful access yet leave no usable logs
- Makes malicious or mistaken actions hard to detect
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Unauthorized Actions & Privilege Abuse
- Over-permissive agents can delete data, transfer funds, or leak secrets
- Risks from error, prompt injection, or insider threat
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Shadow IT in AI Form
- Teams spin up MCP integrations in minutes
- Bypasses standard review and creates unvetted connections
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Compliance & Data-Privacy Violations
- Unchecked agent activities risk breaching GDPR, HIPAA, and SOC 2
- Particularly concerning for PII or regulated data access
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Operational Chaos & Security Drift
- Manual processes can't keep pace with agent sprawl
- Leads to mismatched policies and difficulty in incident forensics
Example Authorization Flow
Clicking Authorize Agent will authorize the agent to access the MCP server, redirect to the external tools' OAuth flow, and then back to the agent's configured callback URL.
MCPermit delivers the visibility and control you need to safely enable AI innovation. Our centralized gateway enforces policy, logs actions, and ensures compliance - all with minimal setup.
Ready to secure your AI operations? Get in touch:
- Email us at support@permit.io
- Join our Slack community
- Schedule a demo