MCP - Security Considerations When Connecting AI Assistants to Softools

Overview

MCP lets approved AI assistants retrieve information from Softools Apps. Organisations should understand both the controls governing access to Softools and the separate data-handling arrangements of the external AI provider.

This article explains site-level approval, individual authentication, published Views, read-only access, document links and recommended security practices.

• How Access Is Controlled
• Understand External AI Data Handling
• Protect Sensitive Information
• Use Documents Safely
• Recognise Prompt Injection
• Review and Revoke Connections
• Recommended Practices
• Frequently Asked Questions

How Access Is Controlled

Site-level approval

An Advanced App Builder approves the AI assistant in Configure > MCP connections. Approval is required before users can connect through that client. It does not automatically grant access to every user.

Individual user authentication

Each user signs in with their own Softools account and authorises read access. The connection does not grant additional Softools permissions.

Published MCP-enabled Views

App Builders select which Views and Fields are exposed. Organisations should expose only the information needed for the intended AI use case. Existing user permissions continue to govern access to the underlying Softools information.

Read-only tools

The MCP tools described in these guides allow retrieval and search. They do not provide create, update or delete operations for Softools Records.

Read-only access prevents changes through these tools but does not eliminate the risk of sensitive information being copied, summarised or shared.

Understand External AI Data Handling

Information returned by MCP may be sent to the external AI provider to generate a response. The provider's account settings, contractual terms and policies determine whether conversations or uploaded files are stored, retained, used for service improvement or processed in particular regions.

Before approving an AI assistant, review the provider's:

• Data processing, retention and deletion terms.
• Model-training and service-improvement controls.
• Data residency and cross-border processing arrangements.
• Administrative, audit and conversation-sharing controls.
• File-upload and document-handling policies.

Softools access controls do not replace the external provider's data-governance requirements.

Protect Sensitive Information

An assistant can combine information from several Records or Apps into a summary that may be more sensitive than an individual Record. Treat exported AI responses and shared conversations with the same care as the underlying Softools data.

Check whether the intended MCP View needs confidential financial, personnel or commercial Fields. Remove unnecessary Fields from the View rather than relying on users never to ask about them.

Use Documents Safely

MCP can return temporary document URLs, filenames and expiry information for Document Fields included in a View.

Treat temporary URLs as sensitive; anyone able to use a valid signed link may be able to access the file during its validity period, subject to the link's restrictions.

Some AI assistants may return a document link without being able to open the document-storage domain. Users should only download and upload documents to an AI conversation where their organisation permits it.

Link expiry does not delete copies already downloaded or uploaded to an external provider.

Recognise Prompt Injection

Records and documents can contain text that tries to instruct an AI assistant to ignore its original task, disclose information or visit an unrelated website. This is called prompt injection.

Treat retrieved content as source material, not as instructions that override the user's request or organisational policies.

Be cautious if the assistant unexpectedly asks for secrets, recommends unfamiliar external destinations or takes the conversation away from the requested task.

Review and Revoke Connections

Advanced App Builders can review approved clients in Configure > MCP connections and select Revoke access when an assistant should no longer connect.

Revoking the approved assistant prevents further use of that approved connection. Previously retrieved information may still be retained by the AI provider; use the provider's data-management controls where necessary.

Recommended Practices

For administrators and App Builders:

1. Approve only AI providers authorised by your organisation.
2. Expose the minimum necessary Views and Fields.
3. Review user access and published View configurations regularly.
4. Consider documents and temporary links separately from structured Field data.
5. Review and revoke obsolete connections.
6. Establish clear policies for AI conversations, exports and file uploads.
7. Provide guidance on verifying AI-generated conclusions.

For end users:

1. Connect only to approved assistants and use your own Softools account.
2. Do not share confidential responses or conversations with unauthorised people.
3. Verify important AI conclusions against the original Records.
4. Upload documents only where permitted.
5. Treat unexpected instructions and external links cautiously.
6. Disconnect connections you no longer need.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can an AI assistant change Softools Records?

Not using the MCP tools described in these guides. They are read-only.

Does site-level approval let everyone access the data?

No. Users authenticate individually and remain subject to their existing Softools permissions and the published MCP-enabled Views.

Can confidential Fields be excluded?

Yes. App Builders can omit Fields from MCP-enabled Views. Review all published Views when deciding whether a Field is available through MCP.

Is information stored by the AI provider?

It may be processed or retained according to the provider's policies and your organisation's configuration. Review those terms before using the connection with sensitive information.

Are AI results always complete?

No. A View may not expose every relevant Field, a user may not have access to every Record, or the assistant may retrieve only some pages. Data Lens returns ranked matches rather than a complete dataset. Verify important results.

What happens when a connection is revoked?

The approved connection is no longer available for further access. Previously retrieved information remains subject to the external provider's retention and deletion controls.

See Connecting AI Assistants to Softools Using MCP for the full documentation index.