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Auth and security - official Tailscale server

Aperture MCP endpoint

Aperture by Tailscale is an AI agent backed by an LLM gateway that runs in your tailnet. The gateway serves a /v1/mcp endpoint that gathers tools and resources from configured remote MCP servers behind Tailscale identity-based grants, and can add built-in tools for provisioning tailnet nodes and running commands over Tailscale SSH. It runs locally; the notes below cover how it authenticates.

Last verified 4 tools3 sources

Install

Generic

JSON
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "aperture": {
      "url": "http://<aperture-hostname>/v1/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Tools

aperture_list_connectors
Returns a list of all HTTP API connectors available through Aperture so agents can discover authenticated API proxies.
Tailnet_provision_node
Starts a one-time browser authorization, then returns a single-use Tailscale auth key after the user approves (built-in Tailnet connector).
TailnetSSH_list_machines
Lists the tailnet machines that have Tailscale SSH enabled, with status, OS, and tags.
TailnetSSH_run_command
Runs one shell command on one listed machine over Tailscale SSH.

As documented on October 17, 2026. A running server reports its current list through tools/list.

Notes and caveats

  • This is a per-organization gateway, not a single hosted URL: clients connect to their own Aperture gateway's MagicDNS name, and authentication comes from Tailscale identity (the tailnet).
  • Access is deny-by-default and set through Aperture grants.
  • The built-in Tailnet and Tailscale SSH connectors are in alpha and an admin must configure them; the Tailnet connector needs a Tailscale OAuth app.
  • Remote MCP tools are exposed with a connector-ID prefix.
  • Tailscale's docs give no overall release stage for Aperture.
  • A tailscale-mcp project from a Tailscale employee's personal GitHub, covered on the Tailscale blog, is not a Tailscale product and is left out.

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Related reading

FAQ

What does the Aperture MCP endpoint do?

Aperture by Tailscale is an AI agent backed by an LLM gateway that runs in your tailnet. The gateway serves a /v1/mcp endpoint that gathers tools and resources from configured remote MCP servers behind Tailscale identity-based grants, and can add built-in tools for provisioning tailnet nodes and running commands over Tailscale SSH. The vendor documents 4 tools, including aperture_list_connectors, Tailnet_provision_node, TailnetSSH_list_machines and TailnetSSH_run_command.

How do I add the Aperture MCP endpoint to an MCP client?

Tailscale documents a Generic config; copy it from the Generic section of this page.

Does the Aperture MCP endpoint need authentication?

It uses a scheme other than OAuth or an API key, such as the session of the app or instance it runs in; the notes on this page describe it. Transport: Streamable HTTP, SSE. Status: Unlabelled, last checked October 17, 2026.

Sources

Last verified against 3 Tailscale pages, then re-checked independently.

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