Enterprise MCP access control: managing tools, servers, and agents

MCP, initially designed for integrating tools into AI workflows, has evolved into a shared infrastructure used across teams and applications, necessitating robust access control as its adoption grows. As MCP servers become shared and discoverable, the need for a comprehensive access control system becomes crucial to prevent over-permissioned agents and ensure secure interactions, especially as AI agents operate differently from traditional API clients by exploring, discovering, and invoking tools dynamically. Effective MCP access control requires a policy-driven approach that defines who can connect, which tools are accessible, and what actions are permitted, while maintaining a clear separation between server-level and tool-level access, emphasizing least-privilege principles and explicit deny boundaries. By implementing a centralized control plane like Portkey's MCP gateway, organizations can manage access across MCP servers and tools consistently, reducing operational overhead and ensuring secure deployment in production environments.