MCP permissions & security

Treat an AI client like another operator in the edit suite: give it only the access needed for the task, keep credentials private, and review meaningful changes before delivery.

Permission scopes

Use ReadOnly when the client only needs to inspect project structure, media, diagnostics, or capabilities. Use broader edit/admin permission only when the requested workflow genuinely needs project mutations or export control.

A permission error is a safety boundary, not a reason to weaken every session. Increase scope only for the specific work that requires it.

Local transport

The normal MCP endpoint is bound to localhost (127.0.0.1). Keep it local for ordinary desktop use. Do not expose the port to a public network without an intentional network-security design outside the normal Oraphim desktop workflow.

Bearer tokens

If a client requires bearer authentication, store the token in an environment variable and configure the client to read the variable. Avoid pasting tokens into screenshots, project notes, source-controlled configuration, or chat prompts.

Review changes

For a large AI-authored operation:

1. Save the project before the operation.
2. Ask for a small or dry inspection first when possible.
3. Apply the mutation to a bounded scope.
4. Inspect the resulting timeline, graph, layer stack, grade, or export job.
5. Use undo for reversible operations when the result is wrong.
6. Save a new milestone after approval.

What MCP does not imply

Connecting an MCP client does not mean every feature is executed through cloud AI, and local AI tools such as Magic Mask/Content Aware Fill use their own native model paths. It also does not mean arbitrary operating-system access is granted by default; the exposed Oraphim tool surface and permission model define what the client can do.

Incident checklist

If a client behaves unexpectedly, stop the MCP session, preserve the project and logs, inspect the last operations, revert/undo where safe, rotate any exposed bearer token, and reconnect with the minimum required permission.