ssh-mcp

[](https://github.com/narthanaj/ssh-mcp/actions/workflows/ci.yml) [](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT) [](https://www.rust-lang.org)

A secure SSH server for the Model Context Protocol (MCP), enabling LLMs to execute commands on remote hosts over SSH.

Built in Rust with compile-time safety guarantees, defense-in-depth security, and strict command validation.

• 4 MCP Tools — ssh_connect, ssh_execute, ssh_disconnect, ssh_list_sessions
• MCP Resources — Read remote files (e.g., syslog) directly without running commands
• 5 MCP Prompts — Guided diagnostic workflows (CPU, disk, services, auth, network)
• SSH-Agent Support — Prefers ssh-agent, falls back to key file, then password
• Command Whitelisting — Only explicitly allowed binaries can execute
• Regex Argument Validation — Strict allowlist pattern, not just metacharacter blacklisting
• No Shell Invocation — Commands are never passed through sh -c
• Strict Timeouts — Hanging commands (e.g., tail -f) are killed automatically
• Rate Limiting — Token bucket per session prevents LLM loop storms
• Typestate Pattern — Compile-time enforcement of SSH connection lifecycle
• Context-Rich Errors — Failed commands return stdout+stderr+exit_code so the LLM can self-correct
• Host Key Verification — known_hosts checking (configurable)

• Rust 1.85 or later
• An SSH server you want to connect to

git clone https://github.com/narthanaj/ssh-mcp.git
cd ssh-mcp
cp config.example.toml config.toml  # Edit with your settings
cargo build --release

Add to your Claude Code MCP settings (~/.claude/settings.json or project