MCP Gateway

Overview

Akto MCP Gateway is a security and governance layer that sits between MCP (Model Context Protocol) clients and MCP servers. It enables organizations to implement guardrail protection, security policies, and guardrails for all MCP server requests while maintaining seamless connectivity to the original MCP servers.

Key Features

• Guardrail Protection: Real-time scanning and blocking of malicious requests

• Security Guardrails: Enforce organizational security policies and compliance requirements

• Request Monitoring: Complete visibility into all MCP communications

• Transparent Proxying: Zero-configuration changes required on MCP servers

• Performance Optimization: Intelligent caching and request optimization

Architecture

Cloud setup

How It Works

1. Request Interception: MCP clients send requests to the Akto gateway endpoint instead of directly to MCP servers

2. Security Analysis: Each request undergoes guardrail detection and policy validation

3. Policy Enforcement: Requests are evaluated against configured guardrails

4. Request Forwarding: Validated requests are forwarded to the original MCP server

5. Response Processing: Server responses are analyzed and returned to the client

Configuration

Basic Setup

To use Akto MCP Gateway, simply prepend your original MCP server URL with the Akto gateway endpoint. All existing authentication and credentials for your original MCP server remain unchanged.

Gateway URL Format:

https://mcp-proxy.akto.io/proxy/{protocol}/{host}/{path}

Where the original MCP server URL is transformed by:

• Replacing :// with /

• Example: https://mcp.example.com/api → https/mcp.example.com/api

Configuration Examples

1. SSE-based MCP Server

   Original configuration:

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "kite-trading": {
         "url": "https://mcp.kite.trade/sse",
         "apiKey": "your-kite-api-key"
       }
     }
   }

   With Akto gateway:

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "kite-trading": {
         "url": "https://mcp-proxy.akto.io/proxy/https/mcp.kite.trade/sse",
         "apiKey": "your-kite-api-key"
       }
     }
   }

2. WebSocket MCP Server

   Original configuration:

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "data-server": {
         "url": "wss://api.example.com/mcp",
         "auth": {
           "token": "bearer-token-123"
         }
       }
     }
   }

   With Akto gateway:

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "data-server": {
         "url": "https://mcp-proxy.akto.io/proxy/wss/api.example.com/mcp",
         "auth": {
           "token": "bearer-token-123"
         }
       }
     }
   }

Important Notes

• All original authentication credentials (API keys, tokens, etc.) remain the same

• The gateway transparently forwards authentication headers to the original server

• No changes required on the MCP server side

• The gateway URL supports both HTTP/HTTPS and WebSocket protocols

Advanced Configuration

Custom Guardrails

Define custom security policies and guardrails:

guardrails:
  - name: "PII Protection"
    type: "content_filter"
    rules:
      - pattern: "ssn|social security"
        action: "block"
      - pattern: "credit card|cc number"
        action: "redact"
  
  - name: "Rate Limiting"
    type: "rate_limit"
    rules:
      - requests_per_minute: 100
        per_client: true

Guardrails Profiles

Configure guardrail detection sensitivity and rules:

threat_detection:
  sensitivity: "high"
  enabled_checks:
    - sql_injection
    - command_injection
    - path_traversal
    - data_exfiltration
  custom_rules:
    - name: "Block Sensitive File Access"
      pattern: "/etc/passwd|/etc/shadow"
      action: "block"

Security Features

1. Guardrails

• SQL Injection Prevention: Detects and blocks SQL injection attempts

• Command Injection Protection: Prevents malicious command execution

• Path Traversal Defense: Blocks unauthorized file system access

• Data Exfiltration Prevention: Monitors and controls data egress

2. Access Control

• Authentication: API key-based authentication for all gateway requests

• Authorization: Role-based access control for different MCP operations

• IP Whitelisting: Restrict access to approved IP addresses

• Session Management: Secure session handling with automatic timeout

3. Data Protection

• Encryption in Transit: TLS 1.3 for all communications

• PII Detection: Automatic identification and protection of sensitive data

• Data Masking: Real-time redaction of sensitive information

• Audit Logging: Comprehensive logging of all requests and responses

Monitoring & Analytics

Dashboard Metrics

• Request volume and trends

• Guardrail detection statistics

• Blocked request analysis

• Performance metrics (latency, throughput)

• Error rates and patterns

Alerts & Notifications

Configure alerts for security events:

alerts:
  - type: "threat_detected"
    severity: "high"
    channels: ["email", "slack"]
  
  - type: "rate_limit_exceeded"
    threshold: 1000
    channels: ["webhook"]

API Reference

Gateway Endpoints

Health Check

GET https://proxy.akto.io/health
Authorization: Bearer {api_key}

Response Format

{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "response": {...},
    "metadata": {
      "request_id": "req_123456",
      "latency_ms": 45,
      "threats_detected": [],
      "guardrails_applied": ["PII Protection"]
    }
  }
}

Best Practices

1. Regular Policy Updates: Keep security policies and guardrails up-to-date

2. Monitor Alert Fatigue: Fine-tune detection rules to reduce false positives

3. Performance Optimization: Use caching for frequently accessed resources

4. Backup Configuration: Maintain fallback options for critical MCP servers

5. Regular Audits: Review logs and analytics for security insights

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Connection Timeout

• Verify network connectivity to Akto gateway

• Check firewall rules and gateway settings

• Validate API key and authentication

Request Blocked

• Review security detection logs for specific violations

• Check guardrail configurations

• Verify request content against security policies

Performance Degradation

• Monitor gateway latency metrics

• Optimize guardrail rules for efficiency

• Consider geographic gateway distribution

Get Support for your Akto setup

There are multiple ways to request support from Akto. We are 24X7 available on the following:

1. In-app intercom support. Message us with your query on intercom in Akto dashboard and someone will reply.

2. Join our discord channel for community support.

3. Contact [e-mail] for email support.

4. Contact us here.