MCP server started with sudo
HighAV-MCP-114MCPMCP config packNew in 2.0
What it finds
An MCP server is launched through sudo (or doas/runas), so it runs as an administrator.
Why it matters
Every tool on that server then runs with full admin rights. One bad tool call can change anything on the machine.
What an attacker could do: The AI can make system-wide changes through this server.
How to fix it
Run the server as your normal user. If it needs one privileged action, grant only that.
Pro shows the corrected code for your exact file, step by step, and re-scans to confirm the fix. See plans
Check details
- Finding code
- MCP_SERVER_RUNS_AS_SUDO
- How it detects
- Looks for a specific risky pattern in the code or config.
- Confidence
- Definite: the risky setting is written plainly in the file.
- Scans
- MCP client configuration files: claude_desktop_config.json, .cursor/mcp.json, .vscode/mcp.json, .mcp.json
- OWASP LLM Top 10
- LLM08 - Excessive Agency
- NIST AI RMF
- GV-4.1
- SOC 2
- CC6.1, CC6.3
Check your agent for this
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Related checks
- Dangerous MCP tool exposed: shell/execAV-MCP-003 · Critical
- Dangerous MCP tool exposed: paymentsAV-MCP-008 · Critical
- Hidden instructions inside an MCP tool descriptionAV-MCP-105 · Critical
- Dangerous MCP tool exposed: filesystemAV-MCP-002 · High
- Dangerous MCP tool exposed: databaseAV-MCP-004 · High
- Dangerous MCP tool exposed: githubAV-MCP-005 · High