Skip to content

okta/okta-mcp-server

Okta MCP Server

License: Apache 2.0 Python Version

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open protocol introduced by Anthropic that standardizes how large language models communicate with external tools, resources or remote services.

The Okta MCP Server integrates with LLMs and AI agents, allowing you to perform various Okta management operations using natural language. For instance, you could simply ask Claude Desktop to perform Okta management operations:

  • Create a new user and add them to the Engineering group

  • Show me all failed login attempts from the last 24 hours

  • List all applications that haven't been used in the past month

Empower your LLM Agents to Manage your Okta Organization

This server is an Model Context Protocol server that provides seamless integration with Okta's Admin Management APIs. It allows LLM agents to interact with Okta in a programmatic way, enabling automation and enhanced management capabilities.

Key Features

  • LLM-Driven Okta Management: Allows your LLM agents to perform administrative tasks within your Okta environment based on natural language instructions.
  • Secure Authentication: Supports both Device Authorization Grant for interactive use and Private Key JWT for secure, automated server-to-server communication.
  • Interactive Confirmation via Elicitation: Destructive operations (deletes, deactivations) prompt the user for confirmation through the MCP Elicitation API before proceeding, with automatic fallback for clients that do not yet support the feature.
  • Integration with Okta Admin Management APIs: Leverages the official Okta APIs to ensure secure and reliable interaction with your Okta org.
  • Extensible Architecture: Designed to be easily extended with new functionalities and support for additional Okta API endpoints.
  • Comprehensive Tool Support: Full CRUD operations for users, groups, applications, policies, device assurance policies, brands, themes, custom pages, email templates, custom domains, email domains, and more.
  • Scope-Based Tool Loading: Tools are automatically enabled or disabled at server startup based on the OAuth 2.0 scopes configured in OKTA_SCOPES. Only tools for which your application has been granted the required scope are registered and visible to the LLM β€” tools without a matching scope are silently removed before the first request.

This MCP server utilizes Okta's Python SDK v3.4.1 to communicate with the Okta APIs, ensuring a robust and well-supported integration.

πŸš€ Getting Started

Prerequisites:


Install the Okta MCP Server

Install Okta MCP Server and configure it to work with your preferred MCP Client.

Choose one of the following installation methods:

🐳 Option 1: Docker (Recommended)

Docker provides a consistent environment without needing to install Python or uv locally.

  1. Clone the repository:

    git clone https://github.com/okta/okta-mcp-server.git
    cd okta-mcp-server
  2. Create a .env file from the example:

    cp .env.example .env
    # Edit .env and add your Okta credentials
  3. Build and run with Docker Compose:

    docker-compose up -d
  4. Configure your MCP Client to use the Docker container:

Claude Desktop with Docker (Private Key JWT - Recommended for Docker):

This method requires no browser interaction and is ideal for containerized environments.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "okta-mcp-server": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run", "-i", "--rm",
        "-e", "OKTA_ORG_URL",
        "-e", "OKTA_CLIENT_ID",
        "-e", "OKTA_SCOPES",
        "-e", "OKTA_PRIVATE_KEY",
        "-e", "OKTA_KEY_ID",
        "okta-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "OKTA_ORG_URL": "https://your-org.okta.com",
        "OKTA_CLIENT_ID": "your-client-id",
        "OKTA_SCOPES": "okta.users.read okta.groups.read",
        "OKTA_PRIVATE_KEY": "-----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----\nYour private key content here\n-----END RSA PRIVATE KEY-----",
        "OKTA_KEY_ID": "your-key-id"
      }
    }
  }
}

Claude Desktop with Docker (Device Authorization Grant):

This method requires browser-based authentication. When the server starts, it will display an authentication URL in the logs. Copy and paste this URL into your browser to complete the authentication.

Note: Docker containers cannot open a browser on the host automatically. You must manually copy the URL from docker logs okta-mcp-server and paste it into your browser.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "okta-mcp-server": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run", "-i", "--rm",
        "-v", "okta-keyring:/home/appuser/.local/share/python_keyring",
        "-e", "OKTA_ORG_URL",
        "-e", "OKTA_CLIENT_ID",
        "-e", "OKTA_SCOPES",
        "-e", "PYTHON_KEYRING_BACKEND=keyrings.alt.file.PlaintextKeyring",
        "okta-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "OKTA_ORG_URL": "https://your-org.okta.com",
        "OKTA_CLIENT_ID": "your-client-id",
        "OKTA_SCOPES": "okta.users.read okta.groups.read"
      }
    }
  }
}

The -v okta-keyring:/home/appuser/.local/share/python_keyring volume persists tokens between container restarts.

VS Code with Docker (Private Key JWT - Recommended for Docker):

{
  "mcp": {
    "inputs": [
      {
        "type": "promptString",
        "description": "Okta Organization URL (e.g., https://dev-123456.okta.com)",
        "id": "OKTA_ORG_URL"
      },
      {
        "type": "promptString",
        "description": "Okta Client ID",
        "id": "OKTA_CLIENT_ID",
        "password": true
      },
      {
        "type": "promptString",
        "description": "Okta Scopes (separated by whitespace)",
        "id": "OKTA_SCOPES"
      },
      {
        "type": "promptString",
        "description": "Okta Private Key (for browserless auth)",
        "id": "OKTA_PRIVATE_KEY",
        "password": true
      },
      {
        "type": "promptString",
        "description": "Okta Key ID (for browserless auth)",
        "id": "OKTA_KEY_ID",
        "password": true
      }
    ],
    "servers": {
      "okta-mcp-server": {
        "command": "docker",
        "args": [
          "run", "-i", "--rm",
          "-e", "OKTA_ORG_URL=${input:OKTA_ORG_URL}",
          "-e", "OKTA_CLIENT_ID=${input:OKTA_CLIENT_ID}",
          "-e", "OKTA_SCOPES=${input:OKTA_SCOPES}",
          "-e", "OKTA_PRIVATE_KEY=${input:OKTA_PRIVATE_KEY}",
          "-e", "OKTA_KEY_ID=${input:OKTA_KEY_ID}",
          "okta-mcp-server"
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

VS Code with Docker (Device Authorization Grant):

Note: Device Authorization requires manual browser interaction. When the server starts, check the MCP output panel for the authentication URL, then copy and paste it into your browser.

{
  "mcp": {
    "inputs": [
      {
        "type": "promptString",
        "description": "Okta Organization URL (e.g., https://dev-123456.okta.com)",
        "id": "OKTA_ORG_URL"
      },
      {
        "type": "promptString",
        "description": "Okta Client ID",
        "id": "OKTA_CLIENT_ID",
        "password": true
      },
      {
        "type": "promptString",
        "description": "Okta Scopes (separated by whitespace)",
        "id": "OKTA_SCOPES"
      }
    ],
    "servers": {
      "okta-mcp-server": {
        "command": "docker",
        "args": [
          "run", "-i", "--rm",
          "-v", "okta-keyring:/home/appuser/.local/share/python_keyring",
          "-e", "OKTA_ORG_URL=${input:OKTA_ORG_URL}",
          "-e", "OKTA_CLIENT_ID=${input:OKTA_CLIENT_ID}",
          "-e", "OKTA_SCOPES=${input:OKTA_SCOPES}",
          "-e", "PYTHON_KEYRING_BACKEND=keyrings.alt.file.PlaintextKeyring",
          "okta-mcp-server"
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

Alternatively, use docker-compose (requires .env file):

{
  "mcp": {
    "servers": {
      "okta-mcp-server": {
        "command": "docker-compose",
        "args": [
          "-f",
          "/path/to/okta-mcp-server/docker-compose.yml",
          "run",
          "--rm",
          "okta-mcp-server"
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

Alternatively, build and run directly:

# Build the image
docker build -t okta-mcp-server .

# Run the container
docker run -i --rm \
  -e OKTA_ORG_URL="<OKTA_ORG_URL>" \
  -e OKTA_CLIENT_ID="<OKTA_CLIENT_ID>" \
  -e OKTA_SCOPES="<OKTA_SCOPES>" \
  okta-mcp-server
πŸ“¦ Option 2: uv (Python Package Manager)
  1. Clone and install the server:

    git clone https://github.com/okta/okta-mcp-server.git
    cd okta-mcp-server
    uv sync
  2. Configure Claude Desktop by adding the following to your claude_desktop_config.json:

    {
      "mcpServers": {
        "okta-mcp-server": {
          "command": "uv",
          "args": [
            "run",
            "--directory",
            "/path/to/okta-mcp-server",
            "okta-mcp-server"
          ],
          "env": {
            "OKTA_ORG_URL": "<OKTA_ORG_URL>",
            "OKTA_CLIENT_ID": "<OKTA_CLIENT_ID>",
            "OKTA_SCOPES": "<OKTA_SCOPES>",
            "OKTA_PRIVATE_KEY": "<PRIVATE_KEY_IF_NEEDED>",
            "OKTA_KEY_ID": "<KEY_ID_IF_NEEDED>"
          }
        }
      }
    }

Configure with Different MCP Clients

VS Code

Add the following to your VS Code settings.json:

{
  "mcp": {
    "inputs": [
      {
        "type": "promptString",
        "description": "Okta Organization URL (e.g., https://dev-123456.okta.com)",
        "id": "OKTA_ORG_URL"
      },
      {
        "type": "promptString",
        "description": "Okta Client ID",
        "id": "OKTA_CLIENT_ID",
        "password": true
      },
      {
        "type": "promptString",
        "description": "Okta Scopes (separated by whitespace, e.g., 'okta.users.read okta.groups.manage')",
        "id": "OKTA_SCOPES"
      },
      {
        "type": "promptString",
        "description": "Okta Private Key. Required for 'browserless' auth.",
        "id": "OKTA_PRIVATE_KEY",
        "password": true
      },
      {
        "type": "promptString",
        "description": "Okta Key ID (KID) for the private key. Required for 'browserless' auth.",
        "id": "OKTA_KEY_ID",
        "password": true
      }
    ],
    "servers": {
      "okta-mcp-server": {
        "command": "uv",
        "args": [
          "run",
          "--directory",
          "/path/to/the/okta-mcp-server",
          "okta-mcp-server"
        ],
        "env": {
          "OKTA_ORG_URL": "${input:OKTA_ORG_URL}",
          "OKTA_CLIENT_ID": "${input:OKTA_CLIENT_ID}",
          "OKTA_SCOPES": "${input:OKTA_SCOPES}",
          "OKTA_PRIVATE_KEY": "${input:OKTA_PRIVATE_KEY}",
          "OKTA_KEY_ID": "${input:OKTA_KEY_ID}"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
Other MCP Clients

To use Okta MCP Server with any other MCP Client, you can manually add this configuration to the client and restart for changes to take effect:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "okta-mcp-server": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--directory",
        "/path/to/okta-mcp-server",
        "okta-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "OKTA_ORG_URL": "<OKTA_ORG_URL>",
        "OKTA_CLIENT_ID": "<OKTA_CLIENT_ID>",
        "OKTA_SCOPES": "<OKTA_SCOPES>",
        "OKTA_PRIVATE_KEY": "<PRIVATE_KEY_IF_NEEDED>",
        "OKTA_KEY_ID": "<KEY_ID_IF_NEEDED>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Authenticate with Okta

The server supports two authentication methods. Choose the one that best fits your use case.

Method 1: Device Authorization Grant (Interactive)

  1. In your Okta org, create a new App Integration.
  2. Select OIDC - OpenID Connect and Native Application.
  3. Under Grant type, ensure Device Authorization is checked.
  4. Go to the Okta API Scopes tab and Grant permissions for the APIs you need (e.g., okta.users.read, okta.groups.manage).
  5. Save the application and copy the Client ID.
  6. Documentation: Okta Device Authorization Grant Guide

Method 2: Private Key JWT (Browserless)

  1. Create App: In your Okta org, create a new App Integration. Select API Services. Save the app and copy the Client ID.
  2. Configure Client Authentication:
    • On the app's General tab, find the Client Credentials section and click Edit.
    • Disable Require Demonstrating Proof of Possession (DPoP) header in token requests.
    • Select Public key / Private key for the authentication method.
  3. Add a Public Key: You have two options for adding a key.
    • Option A: Generate Key in Okta (Recommended)
      1. In the Public keys section, click Add key.
      2. In the dialog, choose Generate new key.
      3. Okta will instantly generate a key pair. Download or save the private key (private.pem) and store it securely.
      4. Copy the Key ID (KID) displayed for the newly generated key.
    • Option B: Use Your Own Key
      1. Generate a key pair locally using the following openssl commands:
        # Generate a 2048-bit RSA private key
        openssl genpkey -algorithm RSA -out private.pem -pkeyopt rsa_keygen_bits:2048
        
        # Extract the public key from the private key
        openssl rsa -in private.pem -pubout -out public.pem
      2. Click Add key and paste the contents of your public key (public.pem) into the dialog.
      3. Copy the Key ID (KID) displayed for the key you added.
  4. Grant API Scopes: Go to the Okta API Scopes tab and Grant permissions for the APIs you need.
  5. Assign Admin Roles: Go to the Admin roles tab and assign the appropriate admin role to this application.

Verify your integration

Restart your MCP Client (Claude Desktop, VS Code, etc.) and ask it to help you manage your Okta tenant:

Show me the users in my Okta organization

πŸ› οΈ Supported Tools

The Okta MCP Server provides the following tools for LLMs to interact with your Okta tenant:

Users

Required scope: okta.users.read (read) Β· okta.users.manage (write)

Tool Description Usage Examples
list_users List all users in your Okta organization - Show me the users in my Okta org
- Find users with 'john' in their name
- What users do I have in the Engineering department?
get_user Get detailed information about a specific user - Show me details for user john.doe@company.com
- Get information about user ID 00u1234567890
- What groups is Jane Smith a member of?
create_user Create a new user in your Okta organization - Create a new user named John Doe with email john.doe@company.com
- Add a new employee to the Sales department
- Set up a contractor account
update_user Update an existing user's profile information - Update John Doe's department to Engineering
- Change the phone number for user jane.smith@company.com
- Update the manager for this user
deactivate_user Deactivate a user (prompts for confirmation) - Deactivate the user john.doe@company.com
- Disable access for former employee Jane Smith
- Suspend the contractor account temporarily
delete_deactivated_user Permanently delete a deactivated user (prompts for confirmation) - Delete the deactivated user john.doe@company.com
- Remove former employee Jane Smith permanently
- Clean up old contractor accounts
get_user_profile_attributes Retrieve all supported user profile attributes - What user profile fields are available?
- Show me all the custom attributes we can set
- List the standard Okta user attributes

Groups

Required scope: okta.groups.read (read) Β· okta.groups.manage (write)

Tool Description Usage Examples
list_groups List all groups in your Okta organization - Show me the groups in my Okta org
- Find groups with 'Engineering' in their name
- What security groups do we have?
get_group Get detailed information about a specific group - Show me details for the Engineering group
- How many members are in the Administrators group?
- What applications are assigned to Sales?
create_group Create a new group - Create a new group called DevOps Team
- Set up a security group for the Finance department
- Add a group for temporary contractors
update_group Update an existing group's information - Update the description for the Engineering group
- Change the name of the Sales group to Revenue Team
- Modify the Finance group settings
delete_group Delete a group (prompts for confirmation) - Delete the old Marketing group
- Remove the temporary project group
- Clean up unused security groups
list_group_users List all users who are members of a group - Who are the members of the Engineering group?
- Show me all administrators
- List users in the Finance department
list_group_apps List all applications assigned to a group - What applications does the Engineering group have access to?
- Show apps assigned to Sales team
- List all applications for Administrators
add_user_to_group Add a user to a group - Add john.doe@company.com to the Engineering group
- Give Jane Smith access to the Finance applications
- Add the new hire to the Sales team
remove_user_from_group Remove a user from a group - Remove john.doe@company.com from the Engineering group
- Revoke Jane's admin privileges
- Remove the contractor from the Finance group

Applications

Required scope: okta.apps.read (read) Β· okta.apps.manage (write)

Tool Description Usage Examples
list_applications List all applications in your Okta organization - Show me the applications in my Okta org
- Find applications with 'API' in their name
- What SSO applications do we have configured?
get_application Get detailed information about a specific app - Show me details for the Salesforce application
- What are the callback URLs for our mobile app?
- Get the client ID for our web application
create_application Create a new application - Create a new SAML application for our HR system
- Set up a new API service application
- Add a mobile app integration
update_application Update an existing application - Update the callback URLs for our web app
- Change the logo for the Salesforce application
- Modify the SAML settings for our HR system
delete_application Delete an application (prompts for confirmation) - Delete the old legacy application
- Remove the unused test application
- Clean up deprecated integrations
activate_application Activate an application - Activate the new HR application
- Enable the Salesforce integration
- Turn on the mobile app for users
deactivate_application Deactivate an application (prompts for confirmation) - Deactivate the legacy CRM application
- Temporarily disable the mobile app
- Turn off access to the test environment

Policies

Required scope: okta.policies.read (read) Β· okta.policies.manage (write)

Tool Description Usage Examples
list_policies List all policies in your Okta organization - Show me the security policies
- What password policies do we have?
- List all MFA enrollment policies
get_policy Get detailed information about a policy - Show me the details of our password policy
- What are the MFA requirements?
- Display the sign-on policy for contractors
create_policy Create a new policy - Create a new password policy for contractors
- Set up MFA requirements for high-risk applications
- Add a sign-on policy for remote workers
update_policy Update an existing policy - Update the password complexity requirements
- Modify the MFA policy for executives
- Change the session timeout for contractors
delete_policy Delete a policy (prompts for confirmation) - Delete the old password policy
- Remove the deprecated MFA policy
- Clean up unused security policies
activate_policy Activate a policy - Activate the new password policy
- Enable the MFA requirements
- Turn on the contractor sign-on policy
deactivate_policy Deactivate a policy (prompts for confirmation) - Deactivate the old security policy
- Temporarily disable MFA for testing
- Turn off the strict password requirements
list_policy_rules List all rules for a specific policy - Show me all rules for the password policy
- What MFA rules are configured?
- List the exceptions in our sign-on policy
get_policy_rule Get detailed information about a policy rule - Show me the details of the contractor MFA rule
- What are the conditions for the VPN access rule?
- Display the emergency access rule
create_policy_rule Create a new rule for a policy - Add an exception rule for executives
- Create a rule for contractor access
- Set up emergency access rules for IT admins
update_policy_rule Update an existing policy rule - Update the location restrictions for remote workers
- Modify the device trust requirements
- Change the risk-based authentication settings
delete_policy_rule Delete a rule from a policy (prompts for confirmation) - Delete the old contractor exception
- Remove the deprecated VPN rule
- Clean up unused policy exceptions
activate_policy_rule Activate a policy rule - Activate the new emergency access rule
- Enable the contractor restrictions
- Turn on the location-based access rule
deactivate_policy_rule Deactivate a policy rule (prompts for confirmation) - Deactivate the old emergency rule
- Temporarily disable location restrictions
- Turn off the device trust requirements for testing

Device Assurance Policies

Required scope: okta.deviceAssurance.read (read) Β· okta.deviceAssurance.manage (write)

Tool Description Usage Examples
list_device_assurance_policies List all Device Assurance Policies in your Okta organization - Show me all device assurance policies
- Which platforms have device compliance policies?
- Find policies that block jailbroken devices
get_device_assurance_policy Get details of a specific Device Assurance Policy - Show me the iOS device assurance policy
- What OS version does our MacOS policy require?
- Is jailbreak detection enabled in our Android policy?
create_device_assurance_policy Create a new Device Assurance Policy - Create a MacOS policy requiring OS 14.2 and disk encryption
- Set up an iOS policy that blocks jailbroken devices
- Add a Windows compliance policy requiring BitLocker
replace_device_assurance_policy Fully replace an existing Device Assurance Policy - Update the MacOS policy to require OS 14.5
- Enable secure hardware requirement for our Windows policy
- Change the minimum OS version for our iOS policy
delete_device_assurance_policy Delete a Device Assurance Policy (prompts for confirmation) - Delete the old Windows compliance policy
- Remove the deprecated Android policy
- Clean up unused device assurance policies

Logs

Required scope: okta.logs.read

Tool Description Usage Examples
get_logs Retrieve system logs from your Okta org - Show me recent login attempts
- Find failed logins from the past 24 hours
- Get authentication logs for user john.doe@company.com

Brands

Required scope: okta.brands.read (read) Β· okta.brands.manage (write)

Tool Description Usage Examples
list_brands List all brands in your Okta org - Show me all brands
- Find the brand named Acme
get_brand Get details of a specific brand - Show me the agrjatest brand
- What locale is set on this brand?
list_brand_domains List all custom domains for a brand - What domains are attached to the agrjatest brand?
create_brand Create a new brand - Create a new brand called Acme Corp
replace_brand Fully update an existing brand - Update the agrjatest brand to use French locale
delete_brand Delete a brand (prompts for confirmation) - Delete the old test brand

Themes

Required scope: okta.brands.read (read) Β· okta.brands.manage (write)

Tool Description Usage Examples
list_brand_themes List all themes for a brand - Show me themes for the agrjatest brand
get_brand_theme Get a specific theme - What colors are set in the agrjatest theme?
replace_brand_theme Update theme colors and variants - Change the primary color of the theme to #FF5733
upload_brand_theme_logo Upload a logo for a theme - Upload a new logo for the agrjatest brand
delete_brand_theme_logo Revert to the default logo - Remove the custom logo from this theme
upload_brand_theme_favicon Upload a favicon for a theme - Set a custom favicon for the agrjatest brand
delete_brand_theme_favicon Revert to the default favicon - Remove the custom favicon from this theme
upload_brand_theme_background_image Upload a background image - Upload a background image for the sign-in page
delete_brand_theme_background_image Remove the background image - Clear the background image from the theme

Custom Pages

Required scope: okta.brands.read (read) Β· okta.brands.manage (write)

Tool Description Usage Examples
get_sign_in_page_resources Get sign-in page resource links - Show me the sign-in page resources for agrjatest
get_customized_sign_in_page Retrieve the live customized sign-in page - Show me the current sign-in page HTML
get_default_sign_in_page Retrieve Okta's default sign-in page - What does the default sign-in page look like?
get_preview_sign_in_page Retrieve the sign-in page preview - Show me the sign-in page preview
replace_customized_sign_in_page Publish a new sign-in page - Update the sign-in page with this new HTML
delete_customized_sign_in_page Revert to default sign-in page (prompts for confirmation) - Remove the custom sign-in page and use the default
replace_preview_sign_in_page Update the sign-in page preview (sandbox) - Test this new sign-in page HTML in preview
delete_preview_sign_in_page Clear the sign-in page preview - Reset the sign-in preview to default
list_sign_in_widget_versions List available Sign-In Widget versions - What Sign-In Widget versions can I use?
get_error_page_resources Get error page resource links - Show me the error page resources
get_customized_error_page Retrieve the live customized error page - Show me the current error page HTML
get_default_error_page Retrieve Okta's default error page - What does the default error page look like?
get_preview_error_page Retrieve the error page preview - Show me the error page preview
replace_customized_error_page Publish a new error page - Update the error page with this new HTML
delete_customized_error_page Revert to default error page (prompts for confirmation) - Remove the custom error page
replace_preview_error_page Update the error page preview - Test this error page HTML in preview
delete_preview_error_page Clear the error page preview - Reset the error page preview
get_sign_out_page_settings Get sign-out page settings - What is the sign-out redirect URL?
replace_sign_out_page_settings Update sign-out page settings - Set the sign-out redirect to https://example.com

Email Templates & Customizations

Required scope: okta.templates.read (read) Β· okta.templates.manage (write)

Tool Description Usage Examples
list_email_templates List all email templates for a brand - Show me all email templates for agrjatest
get_email_template Get a specific email template - Show me the UserActivation template
list_email_customizations List all language customizations for a template - List all customizations for UserActivation
get_email_customization Get a specific customization - Show me the French UserActivation customization
create_email_customization Create a new language customization - Create a German customization for ForgotPassword
replace_email_customization Replace an existing customization - Update the English UserActivation email subject
delete_email_customization Delete a customization (prompts for confirmation) - Delete the French UserActivation customization
delete_all_email_customizations Delete all customizations for a template (prompts for confirmation) - Remove all customizations from UserActivation
get_email_customization_preview Preview a rendered customization - Show me how the German ForgotPassword email will look
get_email_default_content Get Okta's default template content - What is the default UserActivation email body?
get_email_default_content_preview Preview Okta's default content with sample data - Preview the default ForgotPassword email
get_email_settings Get the recipient settings for a template - Who receives the UserActivation email?
replace_email_settings Update recipient settings - Set UserActivation emails to go to admins only
send_test_email Send a test email to the current user - Send me a test UserActivation email

Custom Domains

Required scope: okta.domains.read (read) Β· okta.domains.manage (write)

Tool Description Usage Examples
list_custom_domains List all custom domains - Show me all custom domains in my org
get_custom_domain Get details of a custom domain - Show me the details for login.example.com
create_custom_domain Create a new custom domain - Add login.example.com as a custom domain
replace_custom_domain Update a custom domain - Update the custom domain name
delete_custom_domain Delete a custom domain (prompts for confirmation) - Remove the old custom domain
upsert_custom_domain_certificate Add or replace a TLS certificate - Upload a new TLS certificate for login.example.com
verify_custom_domain Trigger domain DNS verification - Verify the DNS for login.example.com

Email Domains

Required scope: okta.emailDomains.read (read) Β· okta.emailDomains.manage (write)

Tool Description Usage Examples
list_email_domains List all email domains - Show me all email sender domains
get_email_domain Get details of an email domain - Show me the details for mail.example.com
create_email_domain Create a new email domain - Add no-reply@mail.example.com as an email domain
replace_email_domain Update an email domain - Update the display name for this email domain
delete_email_domain Delete an email domain (prompts for confirmation) - Remove the old email domain
verify_email_domain Trigger email domain DNS verification - Verify the DNS records for mail.example.com

Confirmation for Destructive Operations

All destructive operations (deleting groups, applications, policies, policy rules, device assurance policies, and deactivating/deleting users) use the MCP Elicitation API to prompt the user for explicit confirmation before proceeding.

  • Clients that support elicitation (e.g., Claude Desktop with MCP SDK β‰₯ 1.26): The user sees a confirmation dialog directly in the chat UI. They can accept, decline, or cancel.
  • Clients that do not yet support elicitation: The tool returns a JSON payload describing the pending action so the LLM can relay the confirmation request to the user. The deprecated confirm_delete_group / confirm_delete_application tools remain available as a fallback for these clients.

οΏ½ Scope-Based Tool Loading

The Okta MCP Server uses a scope-based tool loading mechanism to ensure that only the tools your application is authorized to use are exposed to the LLM.

How it works

  1. At startup, after authentication completes, the server reads the scopes listed in your OKTA_SCOPES environment variable.
  2. Every tool in the server is mapped to a minimum required OAuth 2.0 scope (e.g. okta.users.read, okta.brands.manage). This mapping is defined in scope_registry.py.
  3. The server compares each tool's required scope against your configured scopes. Tools whose required scope is not present are silently removed from the tool registry β€” they will never appear in tools/list and the LLM will not be aware of them.
  4. At runtime, a @require_scopes decorator on each tool provides a second layer of enforcement: if a scope is missing at call time (e.g. token was refreshed with fewer scopes), the tool returns a clear error message instead of making an API call.

Scope β†’ Tool mapping

Scope Tools Unlocked
okta.users.read list_users, get_user, get_user_profile_attributes
okta.users.manage create_user, update_user, deactivate_user, delete_deactivated_user
okta.groups.read list_groups, get_group, list_group_users, list_group_apps
okta.groups.manage create_group, update_group, delete_group, add_user_to_group, remove_user_from_group
okta.apps.read list_applications, get_application
okta.apps.manage create_application, update_application, delete_application, activate_application, deactivate_application
okta.policies.read list_policies, get_policy, list_policy_rules, get_policy_rule
okta.policies.manage create_policy, update_policy, delete_policy, activate_policy, deactivate_policy, create_policy_rule, update_policy_rule, delete_policy_rule, activate_policy_rule, deactivate_policy_rule
okta.deviceAssurance.read list_device_assurance_policies, get_device_assurance_policy
okta.deviceAssurance.manage create_device_assurance_policy, replace_device_assurance_policy, delete_device_assurance_policy
okta.logs.read get_logs
okta.brands.read list_brands, get_brand, list_brand_domains, list_brand_themes, get_brand_theme, get_sign_in_page_resources, get_customized_sign_in_page, get_default_sign_in_page, get_preview_sign_in_page, list_sign_in_widget_versions, get_error_page_resources, get_customized_error_page, get_default_error_page, get_preview_error_page, get_sign_out_page_settings
okta.brands.manage create_brand, replace_brand, delete_brand, replace_brand_theme, upload_brand_theme_logo, delete_brand_theme_logo, upload_brand_theme_favicon, delete_brand_theme_favicon, upload_brand_theme_background_image, delete_brand_theme_background_image, replace_customized_sign_in_page, delete_customized_sign_in_page, replace_preview_sign_in_page, delete_preview_sign_in_page, replace_customized_error_page, delete_customized_error_page, replace_preview_error_page, delete_preview_error_page, replace_sign_out_page_settings
okta.templates.read list_email_templates, get_email_template, list_email_customizations, get_email_customization, get_email_customization_preview, get_email_default_content, get_email_default_content_preview, get_email_settings
okta.templates.manage create_email_customization, replace_email_customization, delete_email_customization, delete_all_email_customizations, replace_email_settings, send_test_email
okta.domains.read list_custom_domains, get_custom_domain
okta.domains.manage create_custom_domain, replace_custom_domain, delete_custom_domain, upsert_custom_domain_certificate, verify_custom_domain
okta.emailDomains.read list_email_domains, get_email_domain
okta.emailDomains.manage create_email_domain, replace_email_domain, delete_email_domain, verify_email_domain

What you need to do

To enable a group of tools, you must do two things:

1. Grant the scope to your Okta application

In your Okta Admin Console, open the App Integration you created for the MCP server:

  • Go to the Okta API Scopes tab.
  • Click Grant next to each scope you want to enable.

2. Add the scope to OKTA_SCOPES in your MCP client configuration

Update the OKTA_SCOPES value in your mcp.json / settings.json to include the required scopes as a space-separated string:

"OKTA_SCOPES": "okta.users.read okta.groups.read okta.brands.read okta.templates.read"

Then restart your MCP client so the server picks up the new scope list.

Tip

Start with the minimum set of scopes your use-case requires. For example, if you only need to read users and brands, use okta.users.read okta.brands.read. Adding okta.*.manage scopes enables write operations β€” only grant those if needed.

Note

Scopes follow the pattern okta.<resource>.read for read-only access and okta.<resource>.manage for full read+write access. You do not need both β€” okta.users.manage implicitly enables all read operations on users.

οΏ½πŸ” Authentication

The Okta MCP Server uses the Okta Management API and requires authentication to access your Okta tenant.

Authentication Flow

The server uses OAuth 2.0 device authorization flow for secure authentication with Okta, or Private Key JWT for browserless authentication. Your credentials are managed securely and are never exposed in plain text.

Initial Setup

The MCP Server will automatically initiate the appropriate authentication flow based on your configuration:

  • Device Authorization Grant: Interactive browser-based authentication
  • Private Key JWT: Browserless authentication using client credentials

Note

Device authorization flow is not supported for private cloud tenants. Private Cloud users should use Private Key JWT authentication with client credentials.

Important

Using the MCP Server will consume Management API rate limits according to your subscription plan. Refer to the Rate Limit Policy for more information.

🩺 Troubleshooting

When encountering issues with the Okta MCP Server, several troubleshooting options are available to help diagnose and resolve problems.

🐞 Debug Mode

Enable debug mode for more detailed logging:

export OKTA_LOG_LEVEL=DEBUG

Tip

Debug mode is particularly useful when troubleshooting connection or authentication issues.

🚨 Common Issues

  1. Authentication Failures

    • Ensure you have the correct permissions in your Okta tenant
    • Verify your OKTA_ORG_URL, OKTA_CLIENT_ID, and OKTA_SCOPES are correct
    • Check that your application has the necessary API scopes granted
  2. MCP Client Can't Connect to the Server

    • Restart your MCP client after installation
    • Verify the server path is correct in your configuration
    • Check that uv is installed and accessible in your PATH
  3. API Errors or Permission Issues

    • Enable debug mode with export OKTA_LOG_LEVEL=DEBUG
    • Verify your Okta application has the required scopes
    • Ensure your application has appropriate admin roles assigned
    • Check the Okta System Log for detailed error information
  4. Docker: "No recommended backend was available" (Keyring Error)

    • Docker containers don't have a system keyring. Set the environment variable:
      -e PYTHON_KEYRING_BACKEND=keyrings.alt.file.PlaintextKeyring
    • Use a volume to persist tokens: -v okta-keyring:/home/appuser/.local/share/python_keyring
    • Alternatively, use Private Key JWT authentication which doesn't require keyring storage
  5. Docker: "Invalid code" when using Device Authorization

    • The MCP client may restart the server, generating a new device code
    • Copy the URL immediately from the logs and complete authentication quickly
    • Consider using Private Key JWT authentication for Docker environments
    • Use a persistent volume to cache tokens and avoid repeated authentication
  6. "Claude's response was interrupted..." Error

    • This typically happens when Claude hits its context-length limit
    • Try to be more specific and keep queries concise
    • Break large requests into smaller, focused operations

Tip

Most connection issues can be resolved by restarting both the server and your MCP client.

πŸ“‹ Debug Logs

Enable debug mode to view detailed logs:

export OKTA_LOG_LEVEL=DEBUG

You can also specify a log file:

export OKTA_LOG_FILE="/path/to/okta-mcp.log"

πŸ‘¨β€πŸ’» Development

Building from Source

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/okta/okta-mcp-server.git
cd okta-mcp-server

# Install dependencies
uv sync

# Run the server directly
uv run okta-mcp-server

Development Scripts

# Run with debug logs enabled
OKTA_LOG_LEVEL=DEBUG uv run okta-mcp-server

# Run tests
uv run pytest

# Install in development mode
uv pip install -e .

Note

This server requires Python 3.8 or higher and uv.

πŸ”’ Security

The Okta MCP Server prioritizes security:

  • Credentials are managed through secure authentication flows
  • No sensitive information is stored in plain text
  • Authentication uses OAuth 2.0 device authorization flow or Private Key JWT
  • Supports fine-grained API scope permissions
  • Easy credential management through environment variables

Important

For security best practices, always review the permissions requested during the authentication process to ensure they align with your security requirements.

Caution

Always use the principle of least privilege when granting API scopes to your Okta application.

πŸ§ͺ Security Scanning

We recommend regularly scanning this server, and any other MCP-compatible servers you deploy, with community tools built to surface protocol-level risks and misconfigurations.

These scanners help identify issues across key vulnerability classes including: server implementation bugs, tool definition and lifecycle risks, interaction and data flow weaknesses, and configuration or environment gaps.

If you discover a vulnerability, please follow our responsible disclosure process.

πŸ’¬ Feedback and Contributing

We appreciate feedback and contributions to this project! Before you get started, please see:

Reporting Issues

To provide feedback or report a bug, please raise an issue on our issue tracker.

Vulnerability Reporting

Please do not report security vulnerabilities on the public GitHub issue tracker. Please follow the responsible disclosure process.

πŸ“„ License

This project is licensed under the Apache 2.0 license. See the LICENSE file for more info.


What is Okta?

Okta Logo

Okta is the leading independent identity provider. To learn more checkout Why Okta?

Copyright Β© 2025-Present, Okta, Inc.

Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0. Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License.

About

Okta Self-Hosted MCP Server

Resources

License

Contributing

Security policy

Stars

Watchers

Forks

Releases

No releases published

Packages

 
 
 

Contributors

Languages