FAQ

Do I need Philter running?

Yes. This server does no detection of its own. Every tool call is forwarded to the Philter instance at PHILTER_BASE_URL. Call the status tool to confirm the connection.

Why do the tools not return the text that was redacted?

By design. Returning matched values would put the PII back into the model's context, which is what you were trying to avoid. The report gives you filter types, positions, confidence, and replacements instead. See Privacy.

For local policy debugging, explain_redactions accepts include_text=true.

Can it redact PDFs?

Not in this version. redact_file handles UTF-8 text only and returns an error for binary files. Philter itself supports PDF redaction, so call its API directly for that.

Does redact_file modify my file?

No. It reads the file and returns redacted content. Writing the result back is the calling application's decision.

Why is my connection failing with a certificate error?

Philter launched from a cloud marketplace serves HTTPS with a self-signed certificate. Set PHILTER_VERIFY_SSL=false, and make sure PHILTER_BASE_URL starts with https://.

How do I make the same value redact to the same replacement across documents?

Pass the same context on each call. Philter keeps replacements consistent within a context, so relationships across documents survive redaction. See Configuration.

Can several clients share one server?

Yes. Run it with PHILTER_MCP_TRANSPORT=streamable-http and point clients at http://host:8000/mcp. See Docker.

Is it on PyPI?

Not yet. Use the Docker image or install from git. See Installation.

Does this guarantee no PII reaches the model?

No. Detection is probabilistic and policy-driven, and it reduces rather than eliminates what passes through. It also only covers text passed to its tools; anything the agent read by other means is unaffected. Validate against your own data, and pair the server with a locally hosted model so the surrounding conversation stays inside your perimeter.