• ACTIVE
  • MODIFIED
  • REVOKED
  • HUMAN

How to manage scoped API keys with your AI

Connect Lit Protocol to your AI client to handle decentralized access control. Your agent handles the heavy lifting of key management and permission updates.

Ask AI about this page

Short answer

How can I manage scoped API keys with my AI?

Your AI uses Lit Protocol to create, modify, or revoke specific permission sets and usage keys. This gives you granular control over what automated processes can access without exposing master credentials. You get a clear audit trail of every key's lifecycle.

Where every action lands.

The outcomes of key management.

Every command you give your agent results in a specific state change in your decentralized access control.

ACTIVE

New keys live

The AI generates a new scoped key with specific permissions. You get immediate access for a new automated task.

MODIFIED

Permissions updated

The agent adjusts the scope of an existing key. This changes what the key can do without needing to rotate it.

REVOKED

Access is cut

The AI removes a key entirely. This stops any process using that specific key from making further requests.

HUMAN

Manual oversight

You review the list of active keys to ensure everything looks right. The AI provides the data, but you make the final security calls.

The workflow

What your AI does when you request access changes.

Your agent acts as the interface between your natural language commands and the Lit Protocol permission sets.

  1. Audit current access

    The agent pulls a full list of all existing usage keys to show you what is currently active.

    list_api_keys

  2. Provision new keys

    The agent creates a fresh key with the exact scope you define for a specific task.

    add_usage_api_key

  3. Adjust permissions

    The agent modifies the parameters of a key that is already in use.

    update_usage_api_key

  4. Cleanup access

    The agent deletes a key once its job is finished to keep your environment clean.

    remove_usage_api_key

Try it

Copy these to start.

Use these prompts to trigger the Lit Protocol tools.

Starting points

Swap out the bracketed text for your specific needs, like a specific service name or a permission level.

Lit Protocol Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_wXGRfiZeEjfUmz1V2chJcoQebnyRlcPTgJT2C65b/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

  1. 1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
  2. 2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
  3. 3Click Add and start a new chat — Lit Protocol capabilities are ready to use.
Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "lit-protocol-decentralized-access-control-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_wXGRfiZeEjfUmz1V2chJcoQebnyRlcPTgJT2C65b/mcp"
    }
  }
}
Copy into chat04

  • List all my current API keys so I can see what's active.

  • Create a new usage key for the 'Data-Fetcher' service with read-only permissions.

  • Update the permissions for the 'Analytics-Bot' key to include write access.

  • Remove the API key used by the 'Old-Test-Script' immediately.

  • Claude
  • ChatGPT
  • Cursor
  • VS Code
  • Windsurf
  • Claude Code
  • JetBrains
  • Cline

Start here

Connect Lit Protocol once, then ask.

Click the link to connect the MCP to your client. Your credentials stay encrypted, and you can start managing keys through chat immediately.

Connect Lit Protocol to your AI

FAQ

How the management task behaves.

  • 01

    Can the AI create keys with unlimited permissions?

    No. You must specify the scope in your prompt, and the AI will only request the permissions you define.

  • 02

    Does the AI delete my master credentials?

    No. The tools only allow for the management of scoped usage keys, not your primary account credentials.

  • 03

    Can I see a history of which keys were used?

    The AI can list current keys, but it does not have a tool to provide a historical log of key usage events.

  • 04

    Can the AI change my account password?

    No. This MCP is strictly for managing scoped API keys and permission sets.

  • 05

    What happens if I ask to update a key that doesn't exist?

    The AI will attempt the update, but the tool will return an error, and the agent will inform you that the key could not be found.

  • More questions about Lit Protocol? The Connector page answers them. See everything the Lit Protocol Connector can do

Connect Lit Protocol to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more