5 MCP Server Security Mistakes That Could Expose Your AI Stack

I've scanned over 50 public MCP servers in the last 30 days. The results were concerning. Most developers ship MCP servers the same way they shipped REST APIs in 2015 - move fast, worry about security later. The problem: MCP servers run with elevated permissions, have direct access to your local filesystem, and often execute shell commands on behalf of an AI model. That's not a REST endpoint. That's a footgun pointed at your infrastructure. Here are the five most common mistakes I see - and how to fix them. 1.