Azure / Azure/data-api-builder
centralize role resolution across all MCP tools
- Dominant language
- C#
- Stars
- 1.5k
- Forks
- 370
- Avg merge
- 3d 17h
- Merged PRs (30d)
- 8
Description
**Related PR:** [#3737 — MSRC 31000000666371: MCP `describe_entities` info-disclosure fix + single-role alignment](https://github.com/Azure/data-api-builder/pull/3737)
## Proposed fix
Add a single choke point on `McpAuthorizationHelper` that every MCP tool calls to obtain the caller's role:
```csharp
public static bool TryResolveValidatedRole(
HttpContext httpContext,
IAuthorizationResolver authResolver,
out string? role);
```
Behavior:
- Delegates validation to `IAuthorizationResolver.IsValidRoleContext` (exactly-one non-empty header value + `HttpContext.User.IsInRole(header)`).
- Returns the validated `X-MS-API-ROLE` header value verbatim as the single role for the request.
- Is the only place any MCP code reads `AuthorizationResolver.CLIENT_ROLE_HEADER`.
Then refactor every MCP tool to call it: `DescribeEntitiesTool`, `AggregateRecordsTool`, `CreateRecordTool`, `DeleteRecordTool`, `ExecuteEntityTool`, `ReadRecordsTool`, `UpdateRecordTool`, `DynamicCustomTool`.
## Design
- **Single-role model.** `X-MS-API-ROLE` is one atomic role. No splitting, no unioning. Matches REST, GraphQL, and DAB's existing `ClientRoleHeaderAuthorizationMiddleware`.
- **Resolver-owned inheritance.** Per-entity authorization goes through `IAuthorizationResolver.AreRoleAndOperationDefinedForEntity` / `GetAllowedExposedColumns`, so `anonymous → authenticated → named` inheritance and wildcard `All` expansion are consistent with REST/GraphQL.
- **One header read.** `AuthorizationResolver.CLIENT_ROLE_HEADER` appears in exactly one MCP file after this change.
## Acceptance
- `grep AuthorizationResolver.CLIENT_ROLE_HEADER src/Azure.DataApiBuilder.Mcp/**` returns one match, in `McpAuthorizationHelper`.
- No `.Split(',')` on the role header anywhere in the MCP project.
- All MCP tools use `TryResolveValidatedRole`; existing tests still pass.
## Non-goals
- No resolver behavior changes.
- No config schema changes.
- No new live-database tests.
## Reference
See [PR #3737](https://github.com/Azure/data-api-builder/pull/3737) for the single-role model, the MSRC fix in `DescribeEntitiesTool`, and the `McpAuthorizationHelper.TryResolveAuthorizedRole` alignment this issue builds on.
Contributor guide
Research direction
Read McpAuthorizationHelper and the eight named MCP tool entry points, then compare the existing alignment and security changes in PR #3737. Verify the role header is read only in McpAuthorizationHelper, no MCP code splits it, every tool uses TryResolveValidatedRole, and the existing tests pass.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- csharp
- Domain
- backend-api-design, security
- Issue type
- Refactor
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Clearly specified
- Newbie friendliness
- 55/100