README.md•17.3 kB
# MCP SSH Agent
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for managing and controlling SSH connections. This server integrates seamlessly with Claude Desktop and other MCP-compatible clients to provide AI-powered SSH operations.
## Overview
This MCP server provides SSH operations through a clean, standardized interface that can be used by MCP-compatible language models like Claude Desktop. The server automatically discovers SSH hosts from your `~/.ssh/config` and `~/.ssh/known_hosts` files and executes commands using native SSH tools for maximum reliability.
## Quick Start
### Desktop Extension Installation (Recommended)
The easiest way to install MCP SSH Agent is through the Desktop Extension (.dxt) format:
1. Download the latest `mcp-ssh-*.dxt` file from the [GitHub releases page](https://github.com/aiondadotcom/mcp-ssh/releases)
2. Double-click the `.dxt` file to install it in Claude Desktop
3. The SSH tools will be automatically available in your conversations with Claude
### Alternative Installation Methods
#### Installation via npx
```bash
npx @aiondadotcom/mcp-ssh
```
#### Manual Claude Desktop Configuration
To use this MCP server with Claude Desktop using manual configuration, add the following to your MCP settings file:
**On macOS**: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
**On Windows**: `%APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp-ssh": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["@aiondadotcom/mcp-ssh"]
}
}
}
```
After adding this configuration, restart Claude Desktop. The SSH tools will be available for use in your conversations with Claude.
#### Global Installation
```bash
npm install -g @aiondadotcom/mcp-ssh
```
#### Local Development
```bash
git clone https://github.com/aiondadotcom/mcp-ssh.git
cd mcp-ssh
npm install
npm start
```
## Example Usage
The screenshot above shows the MCP SSH Agent in action, demonstrating how it integrates with MCP-compatible clients to provide seamless SSH operations.
### Integration with Claude
This screenshot demonstrates the MCP SSH Agent integrated with Claude, showing how the AI assistant can directly manage SSH connections and execute remote commands through the MCP protocol.
## Key Features
- **Reliable SSH**: Uses native `ssh`/`scp` commands instead of JavaScript SSH libraries
- **Automatic Discovery**: Finds hosts from SSH config and known_hosts files
- **Full SSH Support**: Works with SSH agents, keys, and all authentication methods
- **File Operations**: Upload and download files using `scp`
- **Batch Commands**: Execute multiple commands in sequence
- **Error Handling**: Comprehensive error reporting with timeouts
## Functions
The agent provides the following MCP tools:
1. **listKnownHosts()** - Lists all known SSH hosts, prioritizing entries from ~/.ssh/config first, then additional hosts from ~/.ssh/known_hosts
2. **runRemoteCommand(hostAlias, command)** - Executes a command on a remote host using `ssh`
3. **getHostInfo(hostAlias)** - Returns detailed configuration for a specific host
4. **checkConnectivity(hostAlias)** - Tests SSH connectivity to a host
5. **uploadFile(hostAlias, localPath, remotePath)** - Uploads a file to the remote host using `scp`
6. **downloadFile(hostAlias, remotePath, localPath)** - Downloads a file from the remote host using `scp`
7. **runCommandBatch(hostAlias, commands)** - Executes multiple commands sequentially
## Configuration Examples
### Claude Desktop Integration
Here's how your Claude Desktop configuration should look:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp-ssh": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["@aiondadotcom/mcp-ssh"]
}
}
}
```
### Manual Server Configuration
If you prefer to run the server manually or integrate it with other MCP clients:
```json
{
"servers": {
"mcp-ssh": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["@aiondadotcom/mcp-ssh"]
}
}
}
```
## Requirements
- Node.js 18 or higher
- SSH client installed (`ssh` and `scp` commands available)
- SSH configuration files (`~/.ssh/config` and `~/.ssh/known_hosts`)
## Usage with Claude Desktop
Once configured, you can ask Claude to help you with SSH operations like:
- "List all my SSH hosts"
- "Check connectivity to my production server"
- "Run a command on my web server"
- "Upload this file to my remote server"
- "Download logs from my application server"
Claude will use the MCP SSH tools to perform these operations safely and efficiently.
## Usage
The agent runs as a Model Context Protocol server over STDIO. When installed via npm, you can use it directly:
```bash
# Run via npx (recommended)
npx @aiondadotcom/mcp-ssh
# Or if installed globally
mcp-ssh
# For development - run with debug output
npm start
```
The server communicates via clean JSON over STDIO, making it perfect for MCP clients like Claude Desktop.
## Advanced Configuration
### Environment Variables
- `MCP_SILENT=true` - Disable debug output (automatically set when used as MCP server)
### SSH Configuration
The agent reads from standard SSH configuration files:
- `~/.ssh/config` - SSH client configuration (supports Include directives)
- `~/.ssh/known_hosts` - Known host keys
Make sure your SSH keys are properly configured and accessible via SSH agent or key files.
#### Include Directive Support
The MCP SSH Agent fully supports SSH `Include` directives to organize your configuration across multiple files. However, there's an important SSH bug to be aware of:
**⚠️ SSH Include Directive Bug Warning**
SSH has a configuration parsing bug where `Include` statements **must be placed at the beginning** of your `~/.ssh/config` file to work correctly. If placed at the end, SSH will read them but won't properly apply the included configurations.
**✅ Correct placement (at the beginning):**
```ssh-config
# ~/.ssh/config
Include ~/.ssh/config.d/*
Include ~/.ssh/work-hosts
# Global settings
ServerAliveInterval 55
# Host definitions
Host myserver
HostName example.com
```
**❌ Incorrect placement (at the end) - won't work:**
```ssh-config
# ~/.ssh/config
# Global settings
ServerAliveInterval 55
# Host definitions
Host myserver
HostName example.com
# These Include statements won't work properly due to SSH bug:
Include ~/.ssh/config.d/*
Include ~/.ssh/work-hosts
```
The MCP SSH Agent correctly processes `Include` directives regardless of their placement in the file, so you'll get full host discovery even if SSH itself has issues with your configuration.
#### Example ~/.ssh/config
Here's an example SSH configuration file that demonstrates various connection scenarios including Include directives:
```ssh-config
# Include directives must be at the beginning due to SSH bug
Include ~/.ssh/config.d/*
Include ~/.ssh/work-servers
# Global settings - keep connections alive
ServerAliveInterval 55
# Production server with jump host
Host prod
Hostname 203.0.113.10
Port 22022
User deploy
IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_prod_rsa
# Root access to production (separate entry)
Host root@prod
Hostname 203.0.113.10
Port 22022
User root
IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_prod_rsa
# Archive server accessed through production jump host
Host archive
Hostname 2001:db8:1f0:cafe::1
Port 22077
User archive-user
ProxyJump prod
# Web servers with specific configurations
Host web1.example.com
Hostname 198.51.100.15
Port 22022
User root
IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
Host web2.example.com
Hostname 198.51.100.25
Port 22022
User root
IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
# Database server with custom key
Host database
Hostname 203.0.113.50
Port 22077
User dbadmin
IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_database_rsa
IdentitiesOnly yes
# Mail servers
Host mail1
Hostname 198.51.100.88
Port 22078
User mailuser
Host root@mail1
Hostname 198.51.100.88
Port 22078
User root
# Monitoring server
Host monitor
Hostname 203.0.113.100
Port 22077
User monitoring
IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_monitor_ed25519
IdentitiesOnly yes
# Load balancers
Host lb-a
Hostname 198.51.100.200
Port 22077
User root
Host lb-b
Hostname 198.51.100.201
Port 22077
User root
```
This configuration demonstrates:
- **Global settings**: `ServerAliveInterval` to keep connections alive
- **Custom ports**: Non-standard SSH ports for security
- **Multiple users**: Different user accounts for the same host (e.g., `prod` and `root@prod`)
- **Jump hosts**: Using `ProxyJump` to access servers through bastion hosts
- **IPv6 addresses**: Modern networking support
- **Identity files**: Specific SSH keys for different servers
- **Security options**: `IdentitiesOnly yes` to use only specified keys
#### How MCP SSH Agent Uses Your Configuration
The MCP SSH agent automatically discovers and uses your SSH configuration:
1. **Host Discovery**: All hosts from `~/.ssh/config` are automatically available
2. **Native SSH**: Uses your system's `ssh` command, so all config options work
3. **Authentication**: Respects your SSH agent, key files, and authentication settings
4. **Jump Hosts**: Supports complex proxy chains and bastion host setups
5. **Port Forwarding**: Can work with custom ports and connection options
**Example Usage with Claude Desktop:**
- "List my SSH hosts" → Shows all configured hosts including `prod`, `archive`, `web1.example.com`, etc.
- "Connect to archive server" → Uses the ProxyJump configuration automatically
- "Run 'df -h' on web1.example.com" → Connects with the correct user, port, and key
- "Upload file to database server" → Uses the specific identity file and port configuration
## Troubleshooting
### Common Issues
1. **Command not found**: Ensure `ssh` and `scp` are installed and in your PATH
2. **Permission denied**: Check SSH key permissions and SSH agent
3. **Host not found**: Verify host exists in `~/.ssh/config` or `~/.ssh/known_hosts`
4. **Connection timeout**: Check network connectivity and firewall settings
### Debug Mode
Run with debug output to see detailed operation logs:
```bash
# Enable debug mode
MCP_SILENT=false npx @aiondadotcom/mcp-ssh
```
## SSH Key Setup Guide
For the MCP SSH Agent to work properly, you need to set up SSH key authentication. Here's a complete guide:
### 1. Creating SSH Keys
Generate a new SSH key pair (use Ed25519 for better security):
```bash
# Generate Ed25519 key (recommended)
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your-email@example.com"
# Or generate RSA key (if Ed25519 is not supported)
ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "your-email@example.com"
```
**Important**: When prompted for a passphrase, **leave it empty** (press Enter). The MCP SSH Agent cannot handle password-protected keys as it runs non-interactively.
```
Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase): [Press Enter]
Enter same passphrase again: [Press Enter]
```
This creates two files:
- `~/.ssh/id_ed25519` (private key) - Keep this secret!
- `~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub` (public key) - This gets copied to servers
### 2. Installing Public Key on Remote Servers
Copy your public key to the remote server's authorized_keys file:
```bash
# Method 1: Using ssh-copy-id (easiest)
ssh-copy-id user@hostname
# Method 2: Manual copy
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub | ssh user@hostname "mkdir -p ~/.ssh && cat >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys"
# Method 3: Copy and paste manually
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub
# Then SSH to the server and paste into ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
```
### 3. Server-Side SSH Configuration
To enable secure key-only authentication on your SSH servers, edit `/etc/ssh/sshd_config`:
```bash
# Edit SSH daemon configuration
sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config
```
Add or modify these settings:
```ssh-config
# Enable public key authentication
PubkeyAuthentication yes
AuthorizedKeysFile .ssh/authorized_keys
# Disable password authentication (security best practice)
PasswordAuthentication no
ChallengeResponseAuthentication no
UsePAM no
# Root login options (choose one):
# Option 1: Allow root login with SSH keys only (recommended for admin access)
PermitRootLogin prohibit-password
# Option 2: Completely disable root login (most secure, but less flexible)
# PermitRootLogin no
# Optional: Restrict SSH to specific users
AllowUsers deploy root admin
# Optional: Change default port for security
Port 22022
```
After editing, restart the SSH service:
```bash
# On Ubuntu/Debian
sudo systemctl restart ssh
# On CentOS/RHEL/Fedora
sudo systemctl restart sshd
# On macOS
sudo launchctl unload /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/ssh.plist
sudo launchctl load /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/ssh.plist
```
### 4. Setting Correct Permissions
SSH is very strict about file permissions. Set them correctly:
**On your local machine:**
```bash
chmod 700 ~/.ssh
chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
chmod 644 ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub
chmod 644 ~/.ssh/config
chmod 644 ~/.ssh/known_hosts
```
**On the remote server:**
```bash
chmod 700 ~/.ssh
chmod 600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
```
### 5. Testing SSH Key Authentication
Test your connection before using with MCP SSH Agent:
```bash
# Test connection
ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 user@hostname
# Test with verbose output for debugging
ssh -v -i ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 user@hostname
# Test specific configuration
ssh -F ~/.ssh/config hostname
```
### 6. Multiple Keys for Different Servers
You can create different keys for different servers:
```bash
# Create specific keys
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f ~/.ssh/id_production -C "production-server"
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f ~/.ssh/id_staging -C "staging-server"
```
Then configure them in `~/.ssh/config`:
```ssh-config
Host production
Hostname prod.example.com
User deploy
IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_production
IdentitiesOnly yes
Host staging
Hostname staging.example.com
User deploy
IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_staging
IdentitiesOnly yes
```
## Security Best Practices
### SSH Key Security
- **Never use password-protected keys** with MCP SSH Agent
- **Never share private keys** - they should stay on your machine only
- **Use Ed25519 keys** when possible (more secure than RSA)
- **Create separate keys** for different environments/purposes
- **Regularly rotate keys** (every 6-12 months)
### Server Security
- **Disable password authentication** completely
- **Use non-standard SSH ports** to reduce automated attacks
- **Limit SSH access** to specific users with `AllowUsers`
- **Choose appropriate root login policy**:
- `PermitRootLogin prohibit-password` - Allows root access with SSH keys only (recommended for admin tasks)
- `PermitRootLogin no` - Completely disables root login (most secure, but requires sudo access)
- **Enable SSH key-only authentication** for all accounts
- **Consider using jump hosts** for additional security layers
### Network Security
- **Use VPN or bastion hosts** for production servers
- **Implement fail2ban** to block brute force attempts
- **Monitor SSH logs** regularly
- **Use SSH key forwarding carefully** (disable when not needed)
## Building Desktop Extensions
For developers who want to build DXT packages locally:
### Prerequisites
- Node.js 18 or higher
- npm
### Building DXT Package
```bash
# Install dependencies
npm install
# Build the DXT package
npm run build:dxt
```
This creates a `.dxt` file in the `build/` directory that can be installed in Claude Desktop.
### Publishing DXT Releases
To publish a new DXT release:
```bash
# Build the DXT package
npm run build:dxt
# Create a GitHub release with the DXT file
gh release create v1.0.3 build/mcp-ssh-1.0.3.dxt --title "Release v1.0.3" --notes "MCP SSH Agent v1.0.3"
```
The DXT file will be available as a release asset for users to download and install.
## Contributing
Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.
## License
MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.
## Project Structure
```
mcp-ssh/
├── server-simple.mjs # Main MCP server implementation
├── manifest.json # DXT package manifest
├── package.json # Dependencies and scripts
├── README.md # Documentation
├── LICENSE # MIT License
├── CHANGELOG.md # Release history
├── PUBLISHING.md # Publishing instructions
├── start.sh # Development startup script
├── start-silent.sh # Silent startup script
├── scripts/
│ └── build-dxt.sh # DXT package build script
├── doc/
│ ├── example.png # Usage example screenshot
│ └── Claude.png # Claude Desktop integration example
├── src/ # TypeScript source files (development)
│ ├── ssh-client.ts # SSH operations implementation
│ ├── ssh-config-parser.ts # SSH configuration parsing
│ └── types.ts # Type definitions
└── tsconfig.json # TypeScript configuration
```
## About
This project is maintained by [aionda.com](https://aionda.com) and provides a reliable bridge between AI assistants and SSH infrastructure through the Model Context Protocol.