webmcp-authentication

name	webmcp-authentication
description	Implement WebMCP authentication patterns — browser session inheritance, cookie-based auth, role-gated tool registration, and conditional tool exposure. Use when managing which tools are available based on user authentication state.

WebMCP Authentication

Before writing code

Fetch live docs:

1. Fetch https://webmachinelearning.github.io/webmcp/ for authentication-related sections of the spec
2. Web-search webmcp authentication session cookies browser agent for auth pattern guidance
3. Web-search site:developer.chrome.com webmcp security authentication for Chrome security model
4. Web-search site:github.com mcp-b security authentication for polyfill security guidance

Conceptual Architecture

How WebMCP Authentication Works

WebMCP's auth model is fundamentally different from backend API authentication:

1. No separate agent login — The agent inherits the user's browser session
2. Cookies and headers — Tools' fetch calls automatically include the user's cookies and auth headers
3. Same-origin policy — Tools operate within the page's origin, bound by standard browser security
4. Session-based — If the user is logged in, tools have the user's permissions; if not, tools have anonymous access

This means the agent acts as the user, not as a separate entity with its own credentials.

Authentication Flow

User logs in to site (normal browser auth)
  → Page loads with authenticated session
  → JavaScript checks user auth state
  → If authenticated: register full tool set (search, cart, checkout, account)
  → If anonymous: register limited tool set (search, viewDetails only)
  → Agent discovers available tools based on current auth state

Role-Gated Tool Registration

Register tools conditionally based on user permissions:

// Always register read-only tools
registerPublicTools();

// Register transactional tools only for authenticated users
if (user.isAuthenticated) {
  registerCartTools();
  registerAccountTools();
}

// Register admin tools only for admin users
if (user.role === "admin") {
  registerAdminTools();
}

Auth State Changes

Handle login/logout during an agent session:

// On login
authService.onLogin((user) => {
  registerAuthenticatedTools(user);
});

// On logout
authService.onLogout(() => {
  navigator.modelContext.clearContext();
  registerPublicTools(); // Re-register only anonymous tools
});

Session Expiration

Tools must handle session expiration gracefully:

async execute(input) {
  const res = await fetch("/api/cart", { credentials: "same-origin" });
  if (res.status === 401) {
    return {
      status: "error",
      code: "session_expired",
      message: "Your session has expired. Please log in again."
    };
  }
  return await res.json();
}

Security Considerations

1. Never expose auth tokens to the agent — The agent doesn't need to see cookies or tokens; the browser handles them
2. Server-side validation — Always validate the session server-side; don't trust client-side auth checks alone
3. CSRF protection — Tools making POST requests should include CSRF tokens (the page already has them)
4. Sensitive tools need confirmation — Even authenticated users should confirm destructive actions via requestUserInteraction
5. No credential storage — Never register tools that accept passwords or credentials as parameters

Multi-Factor Authentication

If an action requires MFA (e.g., changing payment method):

async execute(input, client) {
  // Check if action requires MFA
  const mfaRequired = await fetch("/api/check-mfa-required");
  if (mfaRequired) {
    await client.requestUserInteraction((resolve) => {
      // Site shows MFA challenge (OTP input, biometric prompt, etc.)
      showMfaChallenge(resolve);
    });
  }
  // Proceed with the action
  // ...
}

Best Practices

• Check auth state before registering tools, not during tool execution
• Clear all tools on logout to prevent stale tool exposure
• Return clear, structured error responses for auth failures
• Never pass sensitive user data (email, address, card) as tool input parameters — fetch it server-side
• Log tool invocations with user identity for audit trails
• Handle token refresh transparently within tool callbacks

Fetch the specification for any authentication-specific APIs, secure context requirements, and browser permission model details before implementing.