Definition
An open standard that lets AI applications and agents connect to external tools, data sources and services through one common interface, rather than each AI needing a custom integration. Because MCP is fast becoming the default 'plumbing' for agent tools, a flaw in an MCP server — the tool itself — becomes a widely-shared risk across every application wired to it.
Why it matters
MCP standardises how agents reach the outside world, which means failures and supply-chain risks inside MCP tool servers land squarely on the security programmes of everyone who adopts them.