Bring Application Security
to CrewAI
Learn how to connect HCL AppScan to CrewAI and start using 10 AI agent tools in minutes. Fully managed, enterprise secure, and ready to use without writing a single line of code.
GDPR Free for Subscribers
What is the HCL AppScan MCP Server?
The HCL AppScan MCP Server brings powerful application security testing capabilities directly to your AI agent. Seamlessly manage your security posture by monitoring vulnerabilities, tracking scan progress, and auditing your application inventory across HCL AppScan on Cloud (ASoC).
Key Features
- Inventory Management — List and search for applications in your security inventory to find their unique IDs.
- Vulnerability Tracking — Retrieve detailed lists of security issues found during scans, including severity and status.
- Scan Oversight — Monitor all performed scans and check the real-time status of active security tests.
- Dynamic Analysis (DAST) — Start new DAST scans for your web applications directly from your chat interface.
- Agent & Presence Monitoring — List available Presences (local agents) used for scanning internal applications.
- Real-time Insights — Get instant summaries of your security findings and prioritize remediation efforts.
Who is this for?
- Security Engineers — Quickly audit security findings across multiple applications without manual dashboard exports.
- DevSecOps Teams — Integrate security scan monitoring and initiation into your automated workflows.
- Compliance Officers — Monitor application security status and ensure all apps are regularly scanned.
Built-in capabilities (10)
Verify AppScan account connection
Retrieve authenticated user information
Get details for a specific application
Get detailed information about a specific vulnerability
Get details and status for a specific scan
List all applications in your AppScan inventory
List vulnerabilities found for a specific application
List AppScan Presences (local agents)
List all scans performed in the account
Start a new Dynamic Analysis (DAST) scan
Why CrewAI?
When paired with CrewAI, HCL AppScan becomes a first-class tool in your multi-agent workflows. Each agent in the crew can call HCL AppScan tools autonomously, one agent queries data, another analyzes results, a third compiles reports, all orchestrated through Vinkius with zero configuration overhead.
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Multi-agent collaboration lets you decompose complex workflows into specialized roles, one agent researches, another analyzes, a third generates reports, each with access to MCP tools
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CrewAI's native MCP integration requires zero adapter code: pass Vinkius Edge URL directly in the
mcpsparameter and agents auto-discover every available tool at runtime - —
Built-in task delegation and shared memory mean agents can pass context between steps without manual state management, enabling multi-hop reasoning across tool calls
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Sequential and hierarchical crew patterns map naturally to real-world workflows: enumerate subdomains → analyze DNS history → check WHOIS records → compile findings into actionable reports
HCL AppScan in CrewAI
HCL AppScan and 3,400+ other MCP servers. One platform. One governance layer.
Teams that connect HCL AppScan to CrewAI through Vinkius don't need to source, host, or maintain individual MCP servers. Every tool call runs inside a hardened runtime with credential isolation, DLP, and a signed audit chain.
Raw MCP | Vinkius | |
|---|---|---|
| Server catalog | Find and host yourself | 3,400+ managed |
| Infrastructure | Self-hosted | Sandboxed V8 isolates |
| Credential handling | Plaintext in config | Vault + runtime injection |
| Data loss prevention | None | Configurable DLP policies |
| Kill switch | None | Global instant shutdown |
| Financial circuit breakers | None | Per-server limits + alerts |
| Audit trail | None | Ed25519 signed logs |
| SIEM log streaming | None | Splunk, Datadog, Webhook |
| Honeytokens | None | Canary alerts on leak |
| Custom domains | Not applicable | DNS challenge verified |
| GDPR compliance | Manual effort | Automated purge + export |
Why teams choose Vinkius for HCL AppScan in CrewAI
The HCL AppScan MCP Server runs on Vinkius-managed infrastructure inside AWS — a purpose-built runtime with per-request V8 isolates, Ed25519 signed audit chains, and sub-40ms cold starts. All 10 tools execute in hardened sandboxes optimized for native MCP execution.
Your AI agents in CrewAI only access the data you authorize, with DLP that blocks sensitive information from ever reaching the model, kill switch for instant shutdown, and up to 60% token savings. Enterprise-grade infrastructure, zero maintenance.
* Every MCP server runs on Vinkius-managed infrastructure inside AWS - a purpose-built runtime with per-request V8 isolates, Ed25519 signed audit chains, and sub-40ms cold starts optimized for native MCP execution. See our infrastructure
How Vinkius secures
HCL AppScan for CrewAI
Every tool call from CrewAI to the HCL AppScan MCP Server is protected by DLP redaction, cryptographic audit chains, V8 sandbox isolation, kill switch, and financial circuit breakers.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get my AppScan API Key ID and Secret?
Log in to the AppScan on Cloud console, go to your User Profile (top right), and select API Keys. You can generate a new Key ID and Key Secret there.
Does this server support the EU region?
Yes, you can configure the APPSCAN_REGION environment variable to eu to connect to the European data center (eu.cloud.appscan.com).
Can I start a scan for an internal application?
Yes, provided you have an AppScan Presence (local agent) configured. You can use the list_presence tool to check their availability before starting a scan.
How does CrewAI discover and connect to MCP tools?
CrewAI connects to MCP servers lazily. when the crew starts, each agent resolves its MCP URLs and fetches the tool catalog via the standard tools/list method. This means tools are always fresh and reflect the server's current capabilities. No tool schemas need to be hardcoded.
Can different agents in the same crew use different MCP servers?
Yes. Each agent has its own mcps list, so you can assign specific servers to specific roles. For example, a reconnaissance agent might use a domain intelligence server while an analysis agent uses a vulnerability database server.
What happens when an MCP tool call fails during a crew run?
CrewAI wraps tool failures as context for the agent. The LLM receives the error message and can decide to retry with different parameters, fall back to a different tool, or mark the task as partially complete. This resilience is critical for production workflows.
Can CrewAI agents call multiple MCP tools in parallel?
CrewAI agents execute tool calls sequentially within a single reasoning step. However, you can run multiple agents in parallel using process=Process.parallel, each calling different MCP tools concurrently. This is ideal for workflows where separate data sources need to be queried simultaneously.
Can I run CrewAI crews on a schedule (cron)?
Yes. CrewAI crews are standard Python scripts, so you can invoke them via cron, Airflow, Celery, or any task scheduler. The crew.kickoff() method runs synchronously by default, making it straightforward to integrate into existing pipelines.
MCP tools not discovered
Ensure the Edge URL is correct. CrewAI connects lazily when the crew starts. check console output.
Agent not using tools
Make the task description specific. Instead of "do something", say "Use the available tools to list contacts".
Timeout errors
CrewAI has a 10s connection timeout by default. Ensure your network can reach the Edge URL.
Rate limiting or 429 errors
Vinkius enforces per-token rate limits. Check your subscription tier and request quota in the dashboard. Upgrade if you need higher throughput.