MCP authentication

Elium uses the OAuth 2.0 protocol to authenticate and authorise access to the MCP endpoint. OAuth ensures that external applications can only access Elium data on behalf of users who have explicitly granted permission.

There are two ways to configure OAuth authentication for MCP integrations: dynamic client registration and manual OAuth client creation.

Dynamic client registration

Elium supports Dynamic Client Registration (DCR), and it is enabled on every platform. This is the recommended method. With DCR, an assistant registers itself as an OAuth client on your platform. Nobody has to create a client ID and secret by hand.

Elium only accepts registrations from known applications, such as ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot Studio. Each one must use a redirect URL that Elium allows, so access tokens only go to these applications. Registered applications appear in Connected apps with a "DCR" badge: see Manage MCP apps.

By default, Claude uses a close variant of DCR. Instead of registering, it gives Elium the address of a client description that Anthropic publishes, called a Client ID Metadata Document (CIMD). The result is the same for you: there is nothing to create in Elium.

To connect another application through DCR, contact support@elium.com with its name (client_name) and the redirect URLs it uses (redirect_uris). Only ask for applications you trust.

Manual OAuth client creation

System administrators can create an OAuth client manually, in Settings > Advanced > Connected apps.

Once the client is created, its credentials (client ID and client secret) can be used to authenticate with the MCP endpoint according to the OAuth 2.0 flow.

This approach gives administrators full control over the client configuration and redirect URLs.

Recommendation

Use DCR whenever your assistant supports it, as ChatGPT and Copilot Studio do, and Claude’s published identity for Claude: in both cases, there is nothing to create in Elium. Use manual OAuth client creation for an application that supports neither, or when you need to manage client credentials and redirect URLs yourself.

The setup guides for ChatGPT, Claude and Microsoft Copilot Studio give the steps for each assistant.