MCPGrade, without the stale numbers
MCPGrade scores a Model Context Protocol server from A to F. The scanner on this site runs 39 checks. The public counter sits on the homepage, and it moves.
On 3 October 2026 that counter read 5,363 servers graded and 64% with no auth. I pulled that from the live homepage the same day. An older version of this article used a different pair of figures. They don't match the counter, so they're gone.
What the checks cover
I group them like this:
- Transport auth. Is there a bearer token, or something equivalent, before a tool runs?
- Tool scope. Can the tool read the whole disk, or run a shell, when the job only needed one folder?
- Input checks. Do tool arguments get passed into a command or a path with no check?
- Limits and logs. Is there a rate limit, and is the call logged with a caller?
A grade is a summary. I still open the failing check. The scanner output is the source, not this paragraph.
What "no auth" means
If the HTTP endpoint accepts a tool call with no credential, anyone who can reach it can run that tool. A file-read tool then returns whatever path the caller names. I'm not pasting a call here. Require a credential before the session starts, and keep the tool inside a sandbox.
Where to go next
- MCP security guide
- How to inspect an MCP server
- The live grade counter is on the homepage.