Architecture
MCP Audit uses four bounded stages:
1. Discover supported MCP configuration sources. 2. Normalize servers, transports, tools, and relevant settings into a common model. 3. Apply built-in rules, reviewed custom rules, policy requirements, and baseline decisions. 4. Render human-readable or machine-readable evidence.
The scanner operates offline by default and does not execute MCP tools. HTTP probing is discovery-only: it performs protocol initialization and tool inventory requests. Process-based probing also remains discovery-only, requires explicit command-execution approval, applies a timeout, avoids shell wrapping, and sends only initialization and inventory requests.
This separation lets teams inspect static exposure first and add controlled runtime discovery only when the review requires it.