# How It Spread (remote · howitspread.com)

Viral precedents with sourced, dated spread timelines and a Spread Score. Each answer cites a case.

- Trust score: 81/100 (high trust)
- Change this week: +4
- Registry status: active
- Liveness: live
- Owner verified: no
- Last scored: 2026-11-05

## Components

- remote · `howitspread.com`: 81/100 (this document), [markdown](https://verifymcp.io/servers/com-howitspread-howitspread/api-mcp.md), [page](https://verifymcp.io/servers/com-howitspread-howitspread/api-mcp)

## Channel facts

- Endpoint: `https://howitspread.com/api/mcp`
- Transports: `streamable-http`
- Auth: `none`
- Version: `1.2.2`

## Trust breakdown

How this component scores in each security and reliability category. Every signal is checked automatically against the live server, and we only credit what we can confirm. Scores are 0–100 per category. Scoring method: https://verifymcp.io/docs/scoring (what has changed: https://verifymcp.io/docs/scoring/changelog)

Scored 2026-11-05.

- **Endpoint Security**: 80/100
  - The endpoint's TLS certificate is valid, in date, and uses a strong key.
  - No authorisation is required to call this server. Nothing on it is marked destructive, but we can't show that an anonymous caller can only read: full credit needs the server to list at least one tool and every tool to be verifiably read-only. We use a best-effort check of tool names and descriptions to tell read-only tools from tools that change things, so some genuinely read-only tools may not get full credit. Names that start with a read verb (get, list, read, search and similar) and accurate readOnlyHint annotations help. Meet that to earn full credit, or require authorisation.
  - HTTPS is enforced; there's no plaintext access path.
  - The HSTS (Strict-Transport-Security) header is present.
  - DNSSEC check failed: this domain isn't protected by DNSSEC.
- **Transport & Reachability**: 100/100
  - Verified streamable-http transport via a live MCP handshake.
- **Schema Quality & AI Usability**: 75/100
  - 100% of prompts and resources have a non-trivial description (not blank, and not just the item's name).
  - AI-judged instruction clarity (fair).
  - Tool/resource definitions use about 355 tokens (~71/item across 5 items; 3 tools + 2 resources), lean.
  - Usage-examples check failed: none of the tools include examples.
- **Stability & Change Management**: 57/100
  - Stability observed for 17 of 30 days with no destabilising changes; credit accrues until the full window elapses.
- **Tool Coverage**: 89/100
  - 100% of tools have a non-trivial description (not blank, and not just the tool's name).
  - 67% of tool parameters carry a description.
- **Tool Safety**: 100/100
  - No prompt-injection markers were found in the server instructions, tool names or descriptions we captured.
  - We read all 3 captured tool definition(s), and no name or description among them implies an irreversible operation.
  - An AI judge read all 5 captured unit(s) of tool text and found none that tries to manipulate the model reading it.
- **Capabilities**: 100/100
  - Implements a supported MCP spec version (2025-11-25); the latest is 2026-07-28.
  - Supports UI / widget rendering.

## Install

### How do I install the How It Spread MCP server?

How It Spread is a hosted endpoint at https://howitspread.com/api/mcp, so there is nothing to install locally. Ready-made configuration for Claude, Cursor, VS Code, Codex and 5 more is on this page, copied from each client's own documentation.

### Claude

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http com-howitspread-howitspread 'https://howitspread.com/api/mcp'
```

### Cursor

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "com-howitspread-howitspread": {
      "url": "https://howitspread.com/api/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### VS Code

```json
{
  "servers": {
    "com-howitspread-howitspread": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://howitspread.com/api/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### Codex

```toml
[mcp_servers.com-howitspread-howitspread]
url = "https://howitspread.com/api/mcp"
```

### opencode

```json
{
  "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
  "mcp": {
    "com-howitspread-howitspread": {
      "type": "remote",
      "url": "https://howitspread.com/api/mcp",
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}
```

### OpenClaw

```bash
openclaw mcp add com-howitspread-howitspread --url 'https://howitspread.com/api/mcp' --transport streamable-http
```

### Hermes

```yaml
mcp_servers:
  com-howitspread-howitspread:
    url: "https://howitspread.com/api/mcp"
```

### Netclaw

```json
{
  "McpServers": {
    "com-howitspread-howitspread": {
      "Transport": "http",
      "Url": "https://howitspread.com/api/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### Vellum

```bash
assistant mcp add com-howitspread-howitspread -t streamable-http -u 'https://howitspread.com/api/mcp'
```

### Other

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "com-howitspread-howitspread": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://howitspread.com/api/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

The mcpServers block is a cross-client convention. Remote transports vary, so check your client's docs.

## Changelog

Every change recorded for this component, newest first. Days that predate change tracking, or that we cannot explain, say so: "we were watching and nothing happened" and "we were not watching" are different claims.

### 2026-11-05 (score 81, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 53 to 57. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 16 days of observed history at the previous scan, 17 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-11-03 (score 80, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 47 to 50. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 14 days of observed history at the previous scan, 15 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-11-01 (score 79, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 40 to 43. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 12 days of observed history at the previous scan, 13 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-10-30 (score 78, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 33 to 37. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 10 days of observed history at the previous scan, 11 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-10-28 (score 77, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 27 to 30. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 8 days of observed history at the previous scan, 9 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-10-26 (score 76, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 20 to 23. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 6 days of observed history at the previous scan, 7 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-10-24 (score 75, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 13 to 17. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 4 days of observed history at the previous scan, 5 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-10-22 (score 74, 0)

- [security] The server rewrote its instructions, which are the text every model session reads
- [security] Tool “get_case” rewrote its description, which is the text the model reads
- [functional] Server version: 1.2.0 → 1.2.2

## MCP tools (3)

### `search_cases` (~122 tokens)

Search viral cases

Search the How It Spread library of viral cases (films, products, memes, campaigns) by text, kind, mechanic or platform. Returns each case's Spread Score, dates, platforms, mechanics, an image URL and the case URL to cite.

Input parameters:

- `kind` (string)
- `limit` (number)
- `mechanic` (string): A spread mechanic id; list_mechanics defines them.
- `platform` (string): A platform the case spread on.
- `query` (string): Free text: a brand, product, film, format or idea.

### `get_case` (~65 tokens)

Read a case

One case: its dated spread timeline (seed, first amplifier, platform jumps, press, peak), Spread Score and citation. Fields that need sign-in come back locked, with the case URL where the full record is.

Input parameters:

- `slug` (string, required): The case slug from search_cases.

### `list_mechanics` (~26 tokens)

List spread mechanics

The closed vocabulary of spread mechanics, each defined, with how many cases use it.

## Diagnostics

Captured diagnostic sections: TLS, DNSSEC, Authorisation, Transports. The full working is on the page: https://verifymcp.io/servers/com-howitspread-howitspread/api-mcp#diagnostics

## Score history

- 2026-11-05: 81
- 2026-11-04: 80
- 2026-11-03: 80
- 2026-11-02: 79
- 2026-11-01: 79
- 2026-10-31: 78
- 2026-10-30: 78
- 2026-10-29: 77
- 2026-10-28: 77
- 2026-10-27: 76
- 2026-10-26: 76
- 2026-10-25: 75
- 2026-10-24: 75
- 2026-10-23: 74
- 2026-10-22: 74
- 2026-10-21: 74
- 2026-10-20: 73
- 2026-10-19: 71

## Common questions

### What is the How It Spread MCP server?

How It Spread is an MCP server listed in the public MCP registry as com.howitspread/howitspread. Viral precedents with sourced, dated spread timelines and a Spread Score. Each answer cites a case. This page covers its hosted endpoint (https://howitspread.com/api/mcp).

### Is the How It Spread MCP server safe to use?

How It Spread scores 81 out of 100 on VerifyMCP. That is a record of what we were able to check automatically, not an endorsement. The category breakdown on this page shows every signal behind the number, including the ones we could not confirm.

### What tools does the How It Spread MCP server expose?

How It Spread exposes 3 tools: search_cases, get_case, list_mechanics. Their descriptions and schemas cost roughly 213 tokens of context every time the server is loaded.

### Does the How It Spread MCP server require authentication?

No. We connected to How It Spread without credentials and it answered, so anything it exposes is reachable by anyone who knows the address.

### Is the How It Spread MCP server still maintained?

How It Spread is still listed as active in the MCP registry. We last reached this channel on 5 November 2026. Those dates come from our own scans of the registry and the channel itself, not from anything the publisher announced.

### What did VerifyMCP test on the How It Spread MCP server?

VerifyMCP ran 14 checks on How It Spread, covering TLS certificate, Authorization, HTTPS, HSTS header and 10 more. Supply Chain Security and Provenance & Transparency do not apply to a hosted endpoint, so they were not tested. The score does not measure everything, and the scoring documentation lists what it leaves out.

## Links

- Remote endpoint: https://howitspread.com/api/mcp
- Website: https://howitspread.com/mcp
- Changelog RSS feed: https://verifymcp.io/servers/com-howitspread-howitspread/api-mcp.xml
- Changelog JSON feed: https://verifymcp.io/servers/com-howitspread-howitspread/api-mcp/changelog.json
- Trust report (JSON): https://verifymcp.io/servers/com-howitspread-howitspread/api-mcp.json
- HTML version of this page: https://verifymcp.io/servers/com-howitspread-howitspread/api-mcp