# Security Policy
## Reporting Security Vulnerabilities
We take the security of Canvas MCP seriously. If you discover a security vulnerability, please follow these guidelines:
### Reporting Process
**DO NOT** open a public GitHub issue for security vulnerabilities. Instead:
1. **Email**: Send details to the maintainer at the email listed in the repository
2. **GitHub Security Advisory**: Use [GitHub's Security Advisory feature](https://github.com/vishalsachdev/canvas-mcp/security/advisories/new) (preferred)
### What to Include
Please provide:
- Description of the vulnerability
- Steps to reproduce
- Potential impact
- Suggested fix (if available)
### Response Timeline
- **Initial Response**: Within 48 hours
- **Status Update**: Within 7 days
- **Fix Timeline**: Varies based on severity
- Critical: 1-7 days
- High: 7-14 days
- Medium: 14-30 days
- Low: Best effort
---
## Security Best Practices for Users
### API Token Security
**Critical: Your Canvas API token has full access to your Canvas account**
1. **Never commit tokens to version control**
- Always use `.env` file for token storage
- Verify `.env` is in `.gitignore`
- Use the provided `env.template` as a starting point
2. **Token Storage**
- Store tokens in `.env` file with restricted permissions (`chmod 600 .env`)
- Never share tokens via email, chat, or screenshots
- Use environment-specific tokens (dev vs. production)
3. **Token Rotation**
- Rotate tokens periodically (recommended: every 90 days)
- Immediately rotate if token may have been exposed
- Revoke tokens when no longer needed
4. **Access Scope**
- Canvas tokens have full account access - there is no scope limitation
- Consider using a dedicated Canvas account with limited permissions for MCP operations
- Never use admin account tokens unless absolutely necessary
### Code Execution Security
The Canvas MCP server includes code execution capabilities (`execute_typescript` tool) for advanced operations.
**Important Security Considerations:**
1. **Review Generated Code**
- Always review TypeScript code before execution
- Understand what the code will do with your Canvas data
- Be cautious of code that modifies grades, enrollments, or course settings
2. **Execution Environment**
- Code executes locally in isolated temporary files
- Temporary files are automatically deleted after execution
- Environment variables are isolated (your Canvas token is still accessible)
3. **Timeout Protection**
- Code execution has a 120-second timeout by default
- Long-running operations are automatically terminated
4. **What Code Execution Can Access**
- Your Canvas API token (via environment variables)
- Your Canvas instance (via API calls)
- Local filesystem (temporary directory only)
- Network (can make HTTP requests)
### Data Privacy & FERPA Compliance
Canvas MCP includes built-in privacy features for educational data:
1. **Data Anonymization**
- Enable via `ENABLE_DATA_ANONYMIZATION=true` in `.env`
- Anonymizes student names and emails before AI processing
- Preserves student IDs for functional operations
- Required for FERPA compliance when using AI tools
2. **What Gets Anonymized**
- Student names → Generic identifiers (Student A, Student B, etc.)
- Student emails → Anonymized addresses
- Student IDs → Preserved (needed for Canvas operations)
3. **What Does NOT Get Anonymized**
- Course information
- Assignment titles and descriptions
- Your own profile information
- Submission content and grades (but student identifiers are anonymized)
### Network Security
1. **HTTPS Only**
- Canvas API requires HTTPS
- HTTP URLs are automatically upgraded to HTTPS
2. **User-Agent Header**
- Canvas MCP includes proper User-Agent identification
- Required by Canvas API (effective January 2026)
- Format: `canvas-mcp/{version} (repository-url)`
3. **Rate Limiting**
- Canvas API rate limits: ~700 requests per 10 minutes
- Canvas MCP includes automatic retry with exponential backoff
- Use `max_concurrent=5` for bulk operations to avoid rate limits
### Deployment Security
1. **Environment Isolation**
- Run Canvas MCP in isolated environments (containers, virtual machines)
- Avoid running on shared systems with untrusted users
- Use separate Canvas tokens for different environments
2. **File Permissions**
- Restrict access to configuration files: `chmod 600 .env`
- Ensure code execution directory has appropriate permissions
- Review generated code files in `code_api/` directory
3. **Logging and Monitoring**
- Enable API request logging for debugging: `LOG_API_REQUESTS=true`
- Monitor for unusual API activity
- Review error logs for security issues
---
## Built-in Security Features
Canvas MCP includes several security features:
1. **Automatic Rate Limit Handling**
- Exponential backoff on 429 errors
- Configurable retry limits
- Respects Canvas `Retry-After` headers
2. **Timeout Protection**
- API request timeouts (configurable)
- Code execution timeouts (120s default)
- Prevents infinite loops and hangs
3. **Input Validation**
- Type validation for all tool parameters
- Course ID validation and caching
- Parameter sanitization
4. **Error Handling**
- Graceful error responses (no stack traces to users)
- Detailed error logging for debugging
- No sensitive data in error messages
5. **Privacy Protection**
- Configurable data anonymization
- Student PII protection
- FERPA-compliant operation mode
---
## Known Security Limitations
1. **No Authentication**
- MCP server trusts the local environment
- No built-in authentication for MCP clients
- Relies on Canvas API token for authorization
2. **Code Execution Risks**
- `execute_typescript` tool executes arbitrary code
- No sandboxing beyond temporary file isolation
- User responsible for reviewing generated code
3. **No Rate Limiting Control**
- Cannot prevent aggressive API usage
- Relies on Canvas server-side rate limiting
- User responsible for bulk operation throttling
4. **Token Scope**
- Canvas API tokens have full account access
- No way to limit token permissions via Canvas MCP
- Use Canvas account permissions for access control
---
## Security Roadmap
Future security enhancements under consideration:
- [ ] Optional MCP client authentication
- [ ] Code execution sandboxing (Docker/VM isolation)
- [ ] Token encryption at rest
- [ ] Audit logging for sensitive operations
- [ ] Rate limiting controls for bulk operations
- [ ] Granular operation permissions
- [ ] Security scanning for generated code
---
## Compliance
### FERPA Compliance
Canvas MCP can be configured for FERPA compliance:
1. Enable data anonymization: `ENABLE_DATA_ANONYMIZATION=true`
2. Review privacy settings before using AI tools
3. Ensure your Canvas instance is FERPA-compliant
4. Follow your institution's data handling policies
### Canvas API Terms of Service
Users must comply with:
- Canvas API Terms of Service
- Your Canvas instance's acceptable use policy
- Your institution's data handling requirements
---
## Security Contact
For security concerns:
- **GitHub Security Advisory**: [Create Advisory](https://github.com/vishalsachdev/canvas-mcp/security/advisories/new) (preferred)
- **Email**: See repository contact information
**Please do not open public issues for security vulnerabilities.**
---
*Last Updated: December 2025*
