Blackout MCP — Watchlist

MCP100 Assessment

Watchlist / Tracking

Why we’re tracking it

Follow-up value is specific to Blackout rasterized PDF redaction and post-output checks: Do verification checks detect recoverable text in every rebuilt page while document processing remains local?

Reviewed Oct 5, 2026 · Documentation review; complete setup workflow not independently tested

Best fit

Permanent local PDF redaction that verifies text is removed rather than merely visually covered.

What we know

MCP wrapper around Thrain Blackout exposing `redact_pdf` and `check_pdf`. The engine rasterizes pages, burns redactions into pixels, rebuilds the PDF and verifies that extractable text is zero. It performs no upload/API/network call, including license verification.

Maintenance / activity evidence

@thrain/blackout-mcp 1.4.0 published 2026-08-08T05:25:19.193Z

Tracking evidence observed Oct 5, 2026. These dated signals do not establish current maintenance. Reviewed enrichment confidence: high.

Verification gaps / watch-outs

Installation and comprehensive security have not been independently audited.
Local file read/write authority for PDFs. Writes: Write permanently redacted PDF output.
Authentication not yet verified.
Sensitive access: PDF contents may contain PII/legal/confidential information

Local-only design is strong, but redaction is irreversible and may destroy searchable/accessibility content.

Full authority, access and evidence limits are available in Review context and Access & risk.

All limitations / Review context

Do verification checks detect recoverable text in every rebuilt page while document processing remains local?

The bounded review of the publisher's documented Blackout rasterized PDF redaction and post-output checks and release notices identified no disclosed material condition preventing an accurately scoped public tracking entry. The resource's operational permissions remain uncertainty; this assessment does not certify installation safety.

Local-only design is strong, but redaction is irreversible and may destroy searchable/accessibility content.
Local file read/write authority for PDFs.
Documents remain local and are not uploaded; license verification is offline.
Reviewed write actions: Write permanently redacted PDF output
Sensitive access: PDF contents may contain PII/legal/confidential information
Installation, client compatibility and comprehensive security have not been independently audited. Authentication and access depend on the configured services.
Runtime behavior, dependencies and undisclosed vulnerabilities were not independently audited.
Documented tool authority and any remote data handling must be checked before installation or use.
Tool inventory, client matrix and permissions completeness were not requirements for this Radar tracking review.
Rasterization removes the text layer, which may reduce accessibility/searchability.
Free tier has page limit; Pro license removes it.
Correct detection categories/selected regions still require user judgment.
Permanent redaction is destructive to text content.

Original activity observations

@thrain/blackout-mcp 1.4.0 published 2026-08-08T05:25:19.193Z

Technical identity

npm/@thrain/blackout-mcp

Exact implementation source: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@thrain/blackout-mcp ↗
Reviewed resource type: MCP Server
Repository identity: thrain-ai/blackout-pdf
Package identity: npm:@thrain/blackout-mcp

Evidence & Sources

Evidence basis: Recorded source evidence
Setup runtime verification: Not independently runtime-tested by MCP100 for this setup workflow.

Reviewed Oct 5, 2026 · Latest source observation Oct 8, 2026

Package registry metadata ↗
@thrain/blackout-mcp
Recorded package identity, distribution or download evidence.
Package registry ↗
@thrain/blackout
Recorded package identity, distribution or download evidence.
Includes references whose attribution is not established.
Evidence source ↗
www.npmjs.com/~btbrt
Source material retained for this review.
Includes references whose attribution is not established.
GitHub repository ↗
thrain-ai/blackout-pdf
Repository reference; implementation attribution is not established for every document.
Includes references whose attribution is not established.

Setup · Watchlist

Install & Agents

Publisher instructions.

Source evidence observed Oct 14, 2026.

Additional setup details required — see the specific gaps below.

Install / connect
Publisher instructions
Publisher supplies MCP config but exact command not captured in verified excerpt. Follow official install section.
Configure / authenticate
MCP100 setup guide
BLACKOUT_LICENSE token required for licensed use; PDF text redaction permanently modifies output and must not be used as a setup smoke test.
{ "mcpServers": { "blackout": { "args": [ "-y", "@thrain/blackout-mcp" ], "command": "npx" } } }
Check connection
Suggested check
User-side suggested check (not executed): inspect registered tools/connection and perform publisher-supported read-only status/list operations. Do not send, purchase, publish, delete, sign, trade or alter data as a smoke test.
Remove / uninstall / revoke
MCP100 setup guide
Generic client guidance (not publisher-specific uninstall): unregister MCP entry in the chosen client. If installed globally, remove the npm package separately. Revoke provider access separately through account controls, where supported. This does not erase local data or revoke funds/credentials automatically.
Unregister the named MCP entry from the actual host separately from removing a global npm install; no claim that either revokes remote credentials.
Remove local stored keys/tokens and revoke or rotate corresponding provider authorization using documented provider account controls if available; exact procedure not verified for this package. Wallet private keys cannot be revoked.

Official Documentation & Sources

What it does

MCP wrapper around Thrain Blackout exposing `redact_pdf` and `check_pdf`. The engine rasterizes pages, burns redactions into pixels, rebuilds the PDF and verifies that extractable text is zero. It performs no upload/API/network call, including license verification.

Capability: Security & Testing
Resource type: MCP Server
Industry: Legal & Compliance
Best fit: Permanent local PDF redaction that verifies text is removed rather than merely visually covered.

Representative uses

Detect sensitive text categories before redaction
Redact PDF locally
Verify output contains no extractable text
Use machine-readable JSON results

Limitations

Rasterization removes the text layer, which may reduce accessibility/searchability.
Free tier has page limit; Pro license removes it.
Correct detection categories/selected regions still require user judgment.
Permanent redaction is destructive to text content.

Reviewed access

Access & risk

Review the exact access boundary before connecting this MCP to accounts, credentials, or sensitive data.

Authentication: Not documented in the reviewed sources
Permissions: Local file read/write authority for PDFs.
Data handling: Documents remain local and are not uploaded; license verification is offline.
Cost: free_or_one_time_license
Risk and cautions: Local-only design is strong, but redaction is irreversible and may destroy searchable/accessibility content.

Access scope and cautions

Write actions: Write permanently redacted PDF output
Sensitive access: PDF contents may contain PII/legal/confidential information
Risk level: high

FAQ

Based on reviewed evidence as of 2026-10-08. Watchlist tracking is not a recommendation or a security certification.

Which tasks are documented for this implementation?

The reviewed tasks include: Detect sensitive text categories before redaction; Redact PDF locally; Verify output contains no extractable text; Use machine-readable JSON results.

What setup and authentication are documented?

Recorded installation/entrypoint step: npx -y @thrain/blackout-mcp. Recorded transport: stdio. Recorded environment-variable notes: BLACKOUT_LICENSE (optional Pro license). No configuration values are supplied here. Prerequisites: Node/npm; local PDF files. These are the documented setup details, not a claim that installation or client compatibility was independently tested. Authentication: No account/network auth; optional license token is verified offline against embedded public key.

Can it modify data or perform write operations?

Documented write actions include: Write permanently redacted PDF output. Recorded permission boundary: Local file read/write authority for PDFs.

What data-handling boundary should I consider?

Documents remain local and are not uploaded; license verification is offline. Recorded sensitive-access context: PDF contents may contain PII/legal/confidential information.

What limitations and risks should I check before use?

Local-only design is strong, but redaction is irreversible and may destroy searchable/accessibility content. Rasterization removes the text layer, which may reduce accessibility/searchability. Free tier has page limit; Pro license removes it. Correct detection categories/selected regions still require user judgment. Permanent redaction is destructive to text content. Runtime behavior, dependencies and undisclosed vulnerabilities were not independently audited. Documented tool authority and any remote data handling must be checked before installation or use.

What cost model is recorded?

The reviewed cost model is free or one time license. This classification does not establish current prices, quotas or the cost of every downstream operation. Check the applicable service terms before authorizing paid actions.