VirusTotal MCP Server: Comprehensive Security Analysis for AI Workflows

Overview: What is VirusTotal MCP Server?

The VirusTotal MCP Server is an infrastructure designed to integrate the comprehensive security analysis capabilities of ViraTotal API into Model Context Protocol (MCP) systems. It seamlessly connects various AI applications, such as Claude Desktop, with security data sources, enabling a higher level of security and threat detection for developers and users alike.

🔧 Core Features & MCP Capabilities

The VirusTotal MCP Server offers comprehensive analysis tools that are compatible with the Model Context Protocol. These features include:

Comprehensive Analysis Reports:

Each tool automatically fetches related data to provide a complete security report in a single API call, enhancing overall system performance and ease of use.

• URL Report Tool: Analyzes URLs for security threats, including contacted domains, files, threat actors, and more.
• File Report Tool: Provides detailed analysis of file hashes with detection results, behaviors, network connections, dropped files, and embedded content.
• IP Report Tool: Offers geolocation, reputation data, communicating files, historical certificates, and WHOIS records for IP addresses.
• Domain Report Tool: Includes DNS information, SSL certificates, subdomains, and resolved data for domain security analysis.

Detailed Relationship Analysis:

The server allows querying specific relationships (17 types for URL, 41 types for file, 12 types for IP address, and 21 types for domains) with pagination support:

• URL Relationship Tool: Fetches various relationship types like communicating files, contacted domains/IPs, downloaded files, graph data, and more.
• File Relationship Tool: Queries relationships related to behaviors, network connections, dropped files, embedded content, and execution chains for detailed analysis.
• IP Relationship Tool: Enables querying of communication with files and historical SSL certificates, WHOIS records, resolutions, and more.
• Domain Relationship Tool: Supports a wide range of relationship types such as SSL certificates, subdomains, and historical data.

⚙️ MCP Architecture & Protocol Implementation

The VirusTotal MCP Server is built to conform strictly to the Model Context Protocol requirements:

1. API Integration: Compliant with MCP API standards for seamless communication between different components.
2. Configuration Flexibility: Supports global installation or source installation, allowing developers to tailor it to their needs.

🚀 Getting Started with Installation

Installing via Smithery

To quickly set up the VirusTotal MCP Server:

npx -y @smithery/cli install @burtthecoder/mcp-virustotal --client claude

This command automates the installation process, enabling the server's integration into Claude Desktop.

Installing Manually

Manually installing and configuring involves several steps:

1. Global Installation:

   npm install -g @burtthecoder/mcp-virustotal
   

2. Configuration in Your App: Add the server to your configuration file:

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "virustotal": {
         "command": "mcp-virustotal",
         "env": {
           "VIRUSTOTAL_API_KEY": "your-virustotal-api-key"
         }
       }
     }
   }
   

3. Restart Your Application: After adding the configuration, restart Claude Desktop to ensure all settings take effect.

Alternative Setup (From Source)

For detailed or customized installations:

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/burtthecoder/mcp-virustotal-server.git
   cd mcp-virustotal-server
   

2. Run in development mode with hot reloading:

   npm run dev
   

3. Ensure Node.js v18 or later is installed.

💡 Key Use Cases in AI Workflows

Use Case 1: Threat Detection and Response

Technical Implementation: Developers can integrate the VirusTotal MCP Server to scan URLs, files, and IPs for malicious activity before they are processed by other systems. The server ensures that any suspicious data is flagged for review or further action.

graph TD
    A[AI Application] -->|MCP Client| B[VirusTotal MCP Server]
    B --> C[MCP Protocol]
    C --> D[Data Source/Tool]
    D --> E[Threat Detected]
    E --> F[Alert and Action Taken by Security Team]
    style A fill:#e1f5fe
    style C fill:#f3e5f5
    style D fill:#e8f5e8

Use Case 2: File Integrity Monitoring

Technical Implementation: When integrating the server into a file management system, it can continuously monitor files for changes or unauthorized modifications. Any discrepancies are flagged and reported back to the AI application.

graph TD
    A[AI Application] -->|MCP Client| B[VirusTotal MCP Server]
    B --> C[MCP Protocol]
    C --> D[File Monitoring System]
    D --> E[File Integrity Checked]
    E --> F[Security Breaches Detected]
    F --> G[Report to AI Application for Action]
    style A fill:#e1f5fe
    style C fill:#f3e5f5
    style D fill:#e8f5e8

🔌 Integration with MCP Clients

The VirusTotal MCP Server supports integration with multiple MCP clients:

• AI Applications: Claude Desktop, Continue, Cursor, and more.
• Compatibility Matrix:

graph LR;
    A[Claude Desktop] --> BC{"✅ Resources ✅ Tools ✅ Prompts Full Support"};
    B[Continue] --> BC{"✅ Resources ✅ Tools ✅ Prompts Full Support"};
    C[Cursor] --> BC{"❌ Resources ✅ Tools ❌ Full Support for Tools Only"};

📊 Performance & Compatibility Matrix

Feature	Performance	Compatible MCP Clients
URL Analysis	High	Claude Desktop, Continue, Cursor
File Analysis	Medium	Claude Desktop, Continue, Cursor
IP Address Analysis	Low	Claude Desktop, Continue, Cursor (Tools Only)
Domain Analysis	Moderate	Claude Desktop

🛠️ Advanced Configuration & Security

MCP Protocol Flow Diagram

graph TD
    A[AI Application] --> B[MCP Client]
    B --> C[MCP Protocol]
    C --> D[VirusTotal MCP Server]
    D --> E[Data Source/Tool]
    style A fill:#e1f5fe
    style C fill:#f3e5f5
    style D fill:#e8f5e8

Example Configuration Code

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "virustotal": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-virustotal"],
      "env": {
        "VIRUSTOTAL_API_KEY": "your_api_key"
      }
    }
  }
}

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How can I ensure the API key is properly configured?

• A1: Check the log file at /tmp/mcp-virustotal-server.log on macOS for status updates. Ensure your API key is valid, without extra spaces or quotes.

Q2: What happens if there are rate limits imposed by VirusTotal?

• A2: The server includes rate limiting and automatic retry mechanisms to handle these situations gracefully.

Q3: Can I customize the configuration for my needs?

• A3: Yes, you can modify the command, args, and env settings in your configuration file to suit specific requirements.

👨‍💻 Development & Contribution Guidelines

1. Fork the repository.
2. Create a branch (git checkout -b feature/new-feature).
3. Commit changes (git commit -m 'Add new development feature').
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/new-feature).
5. Open a Pull Request.

🌐 MCP Ecosystem & Resources

• MCP Documentation: Official documentation for developers.
• GitHub Repository: Source code and issue tracking.
• Community Forum: Discuss ideas, share experiences, and collaborate with other MCP developers.

By integrating the VirusTotal MCP Server into your AI applications, you enhance security measures without compromising on performance or ease of use. This server is designed to meet the demands of modern AI workflows, providing robust data analysis tools that are essential in today's digital landscape.

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This document provides a comprehensive overview of the VirusTotal MCP Server, its capabilities, integration with AI applications, and configuration details. It also includes necessary diagrams and FAQs to ensure developers can effectively utilize this powerful tool within their projects.