attest-mcp
MCP server for Spazio Genesi's attestationservice — attest, verify, and check the existence of digital works from any MCP-capableAI agent (Claude Code, Claude Desktop, etc.).
Full privacy: file bytes never leave your device. The fingerprint (SHA-256) iscomputed locally, streamed from disk — only the hash and optional metadata are sent.
What it does
The attestation service timestamps a file's SHA-256 fingerprint, signs it (HMAC), andcan produce a signed PDF certificate plus an OpenTimestamps proof anchored in Bitcoin.This server exposes that service as MCP tools, so an agent can attest and verify workson your behalf without a browser.
Install
Claude Desktop — one command, no manual JSON editing:
npx -y @spazio-genesi/attest-mcp-setup
This finds your claude_desktop_config.json (Windows/macOS/Linux), adds theattest-mcp entry, and backs up the original file first. It refuses to touchanything if the existing file isn't valid JSON — it never guesses. RestartClaude Desktop afterwards. To remove it again: add --uninstall. To previewwithout writing: add --dry-run.
Claude Code:
claude mcp add attest-mcp -- npx -y @spazio-genesi/attest-mcp
Manual / other clients — add this to your MCP client's config:
{
"mcpServers": {
"attest-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@spazio-genesi/attest-mcp"]
}
}
}
Authentication
Two ways to authenticate, matching the underlying service:
- API key (for partner integrations, issued manually by Spazio Genesi):set the
IMGAUTH_API_KEYenvironment variable. - Device flow (for personal/agent use): call the
authorizetool with noarguments. It returns a URL — open it, approve with the human-verificationwidget, then callauthorizeagain with the returned code. The sessiontoken (24h, 20 attestations) is saved to~/.config/attest-mcp/credentials.json(permissions600where supported) and used automatically after that.
Either way, the credential only unlocks the anti-bot check on attestation — theserver-side timestamp, cryptographic signature, and rate limits are unchanged.
Tools
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
authorize |
Start or continue the device-flow authorization. |
attest_file |
Hash a local file (streamed) and attest it. |
get_certificate_pdf |
Mint a fresh signed PDF, or recover an already-archived one, saved to disk. |
verify_file |
Hash a local file and check it against a declared hash + signature. |
verify_certificate |
Verify a certificate's signature without a local file. |
check_anchor |
Check/download the OpenTimestamps (Bitcoin) proof. |
service_status |
Traffic-light status of the attestation service. |
Configuration
| Env var | Default | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
IMGAUTH_API_KEY |
— | API key credential, bypasses the device flow. |
IMGAUTH_BASE_URL |
https://imgauth.spaziogenesi.org |
Override for local development (http://localhost:8787). |
IMGAUTH_CERT_PAGE_BASE |
https://attestazione.spaziogenesi.org |
Override for the permanent-certificate-page base URL. |
Known limitation
The certificate PDF and its text are in Italian (Spazio Genesi is an Italiannon-profit and the certificate is a legal-facing document). The MCP tooldescriptions and this README are in English for an international audience.
Development
npm install
npm test # unit tests (hash vectors)
IMGAUTH_BASE_URL=http://localhost:8787 npm start # against a local `wrangler dev`
License
MIT — see LICENSE. This is a client for the attestation service; theservice itself (imgauth) is AGPL-3.0.
