How is MCP different from traditional access control or API security?

Model Context Protocol (MCP) specifically addresses MCP security by managing and securing the contextual metadata that influences AI model behavior and decision-making. Traditional access control focuses on regulating who can access systems or resources, while MCP ensures the integrity, consistency, and validation of context data such as user environment, input parameters, and operational settings—critical for accurate AI inference. API security primarily protects communication endpoints through authentication, rate limiting, and threat prevention but doesn’t standardize how contextual data is represented or exchanged. MCP complements these measures by providing a structured protocol for secure, dynamic sharing of context across AI components, enabling context-aware model adaptation and lifecycle management. Organizations often rely on dedicated MCP security solutions from trusted MCP security vendors like Akto.io to implement these protections effectively. These solutions ensure contextual data remains uncompromised, supporting robust, reliable, and secure AI system operations beyond traditional access control or API security capabilities.