SharkMCP - Network Packet Analysis MCP Server
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides network packet capture and analysis capabilities through Wireshark/tshark integration. Designed for AI assistants to perform network security analysis, troubleshooting, and packet inspection.
This server was thought for situations where you want your agent to debug a program that sends requests and verify the packet traffic, allowing the following workflow:
- Start recording packets
- Run tool or perform request
- Stop recording and analyze results
Architecture
SharkMCP provides a simple, local development-focused architecture:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SharkMCP Server │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ MCP Protocol Layer │
│ ├─ start_capture_session │
│ ├─ stop_capture_session │
│ ├─ analyze_pcap_file │
│ └─ manage_config │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ tshark Integration Layer │
│ ├─ Cross-platform executable detection │
│ ├─ Process management │
│ └─ Output parsing (JSON/fields/text) │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Host System Integration │
│ ├─ Local tshark installation │
│ ├─ Direct network interface access │
│ └─ Native file system operations │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Features
- Async Packet Capture: Start background capture sessions with configurable filters and timeouts.
- PCAP File Analysis: Analyze existing packet capture files
- Flexible Output Formats: JSON, custom fields, or traditional text output
- SSL/TLS Decryption: Support for SSL keylog files to decrypt HTTPS traffic
- Reusable Configurations: Save and reuse capture/analysis configurations
/!\ Packet information can be very extensive. Make sure to use a scoped display filter not to overload the context of your conversation.
Prerequisites
System Requirements
- Wireshark/tshark: Must be installed and accessible
- Node.js: Version 18+
- pnpm: Package manager (recommended)
Installing Wireshark/tshark
macOS (using Homebrew):
Ubuntu/Debian:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install tshark wireshark-common
Windows:
Download from wireshark.org
Installation
- Clone the repository:
git clone https://github.com/kriztalz/SharkMCP.git
cd SharkMCP
- Install dependencies:
- Build the project:
- Run the server:
Testing
SharkMCP includes comprehensive integration tests that verify packet capture functionality.
Running Tests
# Run all tests
pnpm test
Configuration
MCP Client Setup
{
"mcpServers": {
"sharkmcp": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/path/to/SharkMCP/dist/index.js"],
}
}
}
SSL/TLS Decryption (Optional)
To decrypt HTTPS traffic, export the SSLKEYLOGFILE environment variable:
export SSLKEYLOGFILE=/path/to/sslkeylog.log
Then configure your applications to log SSL keys to this file. Many applications support this automatically when the environment variable is set.
Then pass the log file pathname to the MCP server in the stop_capture_session tool.
Usage
- start_capture_session: Start background packet capture
- stop_capture_session: Stop capture and analyze results
- analyze_pcap_file: Analyze existing PCAP files
- manage_config: Save/load reusable configurations
Basic Examples
Start a capture session:
Interface: en0
Capture Filter: port 443
Timeout: 30 seconds
Analyze captured traffic:
Display Filter: tls.handshake.type == 1
Output Format: json
Save a configuration:
{
"name": "https-monitoring",
"description": "Monitor HTTPS traffic",
"captureFilter": "port 443",
"displayFilter": "tls.handshake.type == 1",
"outputFormat": "json",
"timeout": 60,
"interface": "en0"
}
Development
Project Structure
SharkMCP/
├── src/
│ ├── index.ts # Main server setup
│ ├── types.ts # TypeScript interfaces
│ ├── utils.ts # Utility functions
│ └── tools/ # Individual tool implementations
│ ├── start-capture-session.ts
│ ├── stop-capture-session.ts
│ ├── analyze-pcap-file.ts
│ └── manage-config.ts
├── test/ # Test files
│ └── integration.test.js # Integration tests
├── package.json
└── README.md
Development Commands
# Development mode with auto-reload
pnpm run dev
# Build for production
pnpm run build
# Run tests
pnpm run test
# Type checking
pnpm run build
Security Considerations
- Network Permissions: Packet capture requires elevated privileges
- File Access: Temporary files are created in
/tmp/ - Docker Security: Container runs as non-root user
- SSL Keylog: Sensitive SSL keys should be handled securely
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
"tshark not found":
- Ensure Wireshark is installed and tshark is in PATH
- Check installation with:
tshark -v
Permission denied for packet capture:
- On Linux: Add user to
wireshark group or run with sudo - On macOS: Grant Terminal network access in System Preferences
- On Windows: Run as Administrator
No packets captured:
- Verify network interface name (
ip link on Linux, ifconfig on macOS) - Check capture filter syntax
- Ensure traffic is present on the interface
Contributing (Very welcome!)
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch
- Make your changes following the existing code style
- Add tests for new functionality
- Submit a pull request
License
MIT License
Issues / Suggestions
Feel free to open an issue with any question or suggestion you may have.