Installation
Get started with MCP Guard using the VS Code extension or npx command.
Prerequisites
- Node.js 20+ installed on your system
VS Code Extension (Recommended)
The VS Code extension provides a visual interface for managing your MCP servers and their security settings.
Install the Extension
- Open VS Code
- Go to Extensions (
Ctrl+Shift+X/Cmd+Shift+X) - Search for "MCP Guard"
- Click Install
Or install directly from the VS Code Marketplace.
Open MCP Guard
Click the shield icon 🛡️ in the activity bar (left sidebar) to open the MCP Guard panel.
Auto-Discovery
Your MCP servers are automatically imported from:
- Claude Code configuration
- Cursor configuration
- GitHub Copilot configuration
Enable Protection
Toggle protection on for any MCP you want to secure. Configure network, file system, and resource settings as needed.
Quick Access
Use Ctrl+Shift+P → "MCP Guard: Open Settings" to open the panel anytime.
npx Command (Quick Setup)
For users of Cursor, Claude Code, or GitHub Copilot, you can set up MCP Guard directly in your IDE configuration.
Add MCPGuard to Your IDE Config
Click the button below to install MCPGuard in Cursor:
Disable Existing MCPs (Recommended)
To maximize efficiency and security, disable any existing MCPs in your IDE configuration.
Why disable?
- ⚡ Efficiency: Without disabling, your IDE loads all MCP tools into the context window, wasting tokens. MCPGuard only loads tools lazily when you actually use them.
- 🔒 Security: Ensures all tool calls route through MCPGuard's secure isolation instead of being called directly.
How to disable:
- Option 1: Ask your LLM: "Disable all MCPs except mcpguard in my IDE configuration"
- Option 2: Manually comment out or remove other MCP entries in your IDE's MCP config file
Restart Your IDE
Restart your IDE for changes to take effect.
Done!
MCPGuard automatically:
- Discovers all other MCPs configured in your IDE (even disabled ones)
- Routes all tool calls through secure Worker isolation
- Lazy-loads MCPs when their tools are actually used
How Transparent Proxy Mode Works
MCPGuard automatically:
- Discovers all MCPs configured in your IDE (Cursor, Claude Code, or GitHub Copilot)
- Lazy-loads tool schemas only when tools are actually called (not upfront)
- Routes all tool calls through secure Worker isolation
- Auto-loads MCPs when their tools are first used
Example: If you have github MCP configured, MCPGuard will:
- When the LLM calls
github::search_repositories, MCPGuard automatically loads the GitHub MCP schema and executes the call in isolation - All results are returned transparently - the LLM doesn't need to know about the isolation layer
- Tool schemas are cached after first use for faster subsequent calls