State of MCP Security · 2026-07-26

Snapshot of the MCP server ecosystem as of 2026-07-26 · by PulseFeed · see the live report →

1065▲110
servers audited
726▲76
safe to install
136▲23
avoid (13%)

Headline: how many run code the moment you install them?

12%▲23

128 of 1065 MCP servers ship an install/postinstall script — arbitrary code runs on your machine at npm i, before you've even used the tool. Some are legitimate native builds, but each is an unreviewed code-execution vector — and 97 of all audited servers publish no repository to inspect at all. A bad MCP server can read your files, env vars and keys the moment it's connected.

Install-script exposure over time

128 80 128 07-0807-1707-26

Verdicts

safe
726
caution
198
avoid
136
unknown
5

npm servers get deep signals; remote servers get liveness + HTTPS only.

Top safety flags

Servers to avoid (sample)

ServerVerdictFlags
ai.alpic.test/test-mcp-serveravoidunreachable
ai.autorfp/mcpavoidunreachable
ai.baselight/baselightavoidunreachable
ai.buyersense/buyersenseavoidunreachable
ai.clarid/complianceavoidunreachable
ai.com.mcp/hapi-mcpavoidunreachable
ai.com.mcp/skills-searchavoidunreachable
ai.dynamicfeed/dynamic-feedavoidunreachable
agentdbavoidinstall_script
agentic-flowavoidinstall_script
@azure/mcpavoidinstall_script
gitnexusavoidinstall_script, unpopular

Daily archive

DateAuditedInstall-scriptAvoidAbandoned
2026-07-26106512813643
2026-07-25106412813643
2026-07-24105412613444
2026-07-23103612212944
2026-07-22101711912644
2026-07-2198811211944
2026-07-2096110611441
2026-07-1995510511341
2026-07-1895110511441
2026-07-1794710511441
2026-07-1693810411341
2026-07-1592210111040
2026-07-148849710639
2026-07-13863909939

Methodology: PulseFeed discovers MCP servers from the official MCP registry and npm, then audits each independently — install/postinstall scripts (code execution on install), abandonment, provenance, license, repository, download volume, and liveness for remote servers. Verdict = safe / caution / avoid. This report is generated automatically from that data and updates daily. Install scripts are not inherently malicious (native builds use them) but every one is an unreviewed code-execution vector worth checking. Same independent-audit approach as our x402 trust oracle.
Check any server free: GET /mcp/verify?package=<npm-name> · Machine-readable: /mcp-report.json · Live observatory: /mcp · /llms.txt