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MCP SFTP Resource Handler

The SFTP Resource Handler module provides SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) resource support for the MCP Server, allowing remote files on SFTP servers to be exposed as MCP resources.

Overview​

This module implements the IMcpResourceTypeHandler interface to handle sftp:// URIs. It uses the SSH.NET library to connect to SFTP servers and retrieve file content.

Features​

  • SFTP Support: Connect to SFTP servers using SSH
  • Multiple Authentication: Support for password and private key authentication
  • Credentials Protection: Passwords and private keys are encrypted using IDataProtector when stored
  • Export Safety: Sensitive credentials are automatically cleared during deployment export
  • MIME Type Detection: Automatic MIME type detection based on file extension

URI Pattern​

sftp://{itemId}/{path}
  • {itemId}: The unique identifier of the MCP resource
  • {path}: The path to the file on the SFTP server

Configuration​

When creating an SFTP resource in the admin UI, you can configure:

FieldDescription
HostThe SFTP server hostname or IP address
PortThe SSH port (default: 22)
UsernameSSH authentication username
PasswordSSH authentication password (encrypted in storage)
Private KeySSH private key for key-based authentication (encrypted in storage)

Usage​

Creating an SFTP Resource via Admin UI​

  1. Navigate to Artificial Intelligence → MCP Resources
  2. Click Add Resource
  3. Select SFTP as the resource type
  4. Fill in the connection details:
    • Display Text: A friendly name for the resource
    • URI: sftp://auto-generated-id/path/to/file.txt
    • Name: The MCP resource name
    • Host, Port, Username, Password or Private Key
  5. Save the resource

Creating an SFTP Resource via Recipe​

{
  "steps": [
    {
      "name": "McpResource",
      "Resources": [
        {
          "Source": "sftp",
          "DisplayText": "Remote Log File",
          "Resource": {
            "Uri": "sftp://resource-id/var/log/app.log",
            "Name": "remote-log",
            "Description": "Application log from SFTP server",
            "MimeType": "text/plain"
          },
          "Properties": {
            "SftpConnectionMetadata": {
              "Host": "ssh.example.com",
              "Port": 22,
              "Username": "user",
              "Password": "",
              "PrivateKey": ""
            }
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Note: Passwords and private keys are not exported for security reasons. You must manually set them after importing.

Authentication Methods​

Password Authentication​

Provide a username and password to authenticate with the SFTP server.

Private Key Authentication​

Provide a username and the contents of your private key file. The private key can be:

  • RSA key
  • DSA key
  • ECDSA key
  • Ed25519 key

For keys with a passphrase, include the passphrase in the password field.

Dependencies​

This module requires:

  • CrestApps.OrchardCore.AI.Mcp (MCP Server module)
  • SSH.NET NuGet package

Security Considerations​

  • Credential Encryption: Passwords and private keys are encrypted at rest using ASP.NET Core Data Protection
  • Export Safety: Sensitive credentials are automatically removed during deployment/recipe export
  • Key-Based Auth: Prefer private key authentication over passwords when possible
  • Key Protection: Keep private keys secure and consider using passphrase-protected keys
  • Firewall: Ensure your server can reach the SFTP host on the configured port (typically 22)

Extending​

To create a custom SFTP resource handler, you can implement IMcpResourceHandler to handle additional events:

public class CustomSftpMcpResourceHandler : IMcpResourceHandler
{
    public void Exporting(ExportingMcpResourceContext context)
    {
        // Handle export customization
    }
}