Status: Draft — research complete, writing in progress
Evidence: Server logs, screenshots, timeline reconstruction
TL;DR: Early MCP server implementations had gaping holes. Here’s what happened when we tried to self-host one.
[SUGGESTION: Opening Narrative Hook]
Consider starting with the moment of discovery—the weird log entry, the unexpected connection, or the “wait, that shouldn’t be possible” realization. Sets the tone that this is a field report, not a tutorial.
[SUGGESTION: Background Section — “What We Were Trying to Do”]
Context for readers unfamiliar with MCP:
- What is Model Context Protocol (brief, 2-3 lines)
- Why self-host instead of using managed services
- The promise: local context, API bridge, agent extensibility
- Your specific goal: [whatever you were building]
[SUGGESTION: Setup Section — “The Happy Path”]
Document the intended architecture:
[Your App] → [MCP Server] → [Claude API]
↓
[Local Files/DB]
What worked initially:
- Installation steps that went smoothly
- First successful query/response
- The “holy shit it works” moment
[SUGGESTION: The Incident — “When It Got Weird”]
This is the meat. Suggested structure:
Timeline
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| T+0 | Setup complete, first test |
| T+2h | [First anomaly] |
| T+6h | [Discovery of issue] |
| T+8h | [Confirmation/escalation] |
The Logs
Quote relevant log entries (sanitized):
[EXAMPLE LOG FORMAT]
2026-01-15 14:32:11 [WARN] unexpected connection from ...
What Had Gone Wrong
Root cause analysis:
- Default config issues?
- Missing auth?
- Overly broad permissions?
- Supply chain problem?
[SUGGESTION: Impact Assessment — “What Could Have Happened”]
Worst-case scenario if you hadn’t caught it:
- Data exposure scope
- API key compromise potential
- Lateral movement possibilities
- Why it wasn’t as bad as it could have been (what saved you)
[SUGGESTION: Lessons — “The Hard-Won Checklist”]
Actionable takeaways:
- Verify before trust — [specific action]
- Default deny — [specific config]
- Log everything — [what to monitor]
- Network segmentation — [isolation strategy]
Consider a “MCP Server Hardening Checklist” callout box for easy reference.
[SUGGESTION: Current Status — “Is It Safe Now?”]
What’s changed since your incident:
- MCP spec updates?
- Reference implementation fixes?
- Community hardening guides?
- Your current stance: cautiously optimistic? still wary?
[SUGGESTION: Connection to OpenClaw]
Bridge to your cornerstone content:
“This is exactly why we’re building OpenClaw on VPS with defense in depth. One layer will fail. The question is whether the next layer catches it.”
[SUGGESTION: Call to Action]
What you want readers to do:
- Read the hardening guide?
- Share their own MCP experiences?
- Wait for your follow-up testing?
Evidence & Sources
Document your evidence here:
- Server logs: stored in
/verification/2026-02/mcp-logs/ - Screenshots: [describe what’s captured]
- Timeline: reconstructed from [source]
- Related issues: [GitHub issues, spec discussions]
Draft notes: This article is in progress. Claims verified against logs. Full timeline reconstruction pending.