Windows CLI MCP Server

[!CAUTION] PROJECT DEPRECATED - No longer maintained. Use https://github.com/wonderwhy-er/DesktopCommanderMCP instead for similar functionality.

MCP server for secure command-line interactions on Windows systems, enabling controlled access to PowerShell, CMD, Git Bash shells, and remote systems via SSH. It allows MCP clients (like Claude Desktop) to perform operations on your system, similar to Open Interpreter.

[!IMPORTANT] This MCP server provides direct access to your system's command line interface and remote systems via SSH. When enabled, it grants access to your files, environment variables, command execution capabilities, and remote server management.

• Review and restrict allowed paths and SSH connections
• Enable directory restrictions
• Configure command blocks
• Consider security implications

See Configuration for more details.

• Features
• Usage with Claude Desktop
• Configuration
  • Configuration Locations
  • Default Configuration
  • Configuration Settings
    • Security Settings
    • Shell Configuration
    • SSH Configuration
• API
  • Tools
  • Resources
• Security Considerations
• License

Features

• Multi-Shell Support: Execute commands in PowerShell, Command Prompt (CMD), and Git Bash
• SSH Support: Execute commands on remote systems via SSH
• Resource Exposure: View SSH connections, current directory, and configuration as MCP resources
• Security Controls:
  • Command and SSH command blocking (full paths, case variations)
  • Working directory validation
  • Maximum command length limits
  • Command logging and history tracking
  • Smart argument validation
• Configurable:
  • Custom security rules
  • Shell-specific settings
  • SSH connection profiles
  • Path restrictions
  • Blocked command lists

See the API section for more details on the tools and resources the server provides to MCP clients.

Note: The server will only allow operations within configured directories, with allowed commands, and on configured SSH connections.

Usage with Claude Desktop

Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "windows-cli": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@simonb97/server-win-cli"]
    }
  }
}

For use with a specific config file, add the --config flag:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "windows-cli": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@simonb97/server-win-cli",
        "--config",
        "path/to/your/config.json"
      ]
    }
  }
}

After configuring, you can:

• Execute commands directly using the available tools
• View configured SSH connections and server configuration in the Resources section
• Manage SSH connections through the provided tools

Configuration

The server uses a JSON configuration file to customize its behavior. You can specify settings for security controls, shell configurations, and SSH connections.

1. To create a default config file, either:

a) copy config.json.example to config.json, or

b) run:

npx @simonb97/server-win-cli --init-config ./config.json

2. Then set the --config flag to point to your config file as described in the Usage with Claude Desktop section.

Configuration Locations

The server looks for configuration in the following locations (in order):

1. Path specified by --config flag
2. ./config.json in current directory
3. ~/.win-cli-mcp/config.json in user's home directory

If no configuration file is found, the server will use a default (restricted) configuration:

Default Configuration

Note: The default configuration is designed to be restrictive and secure. Find more details on each setting in the Configuration Settings section.

{
  "security": {
    "maxCommandLength": 2000,
    "blockedCommands": [
      "rm",
      "del",
      "rmdir",
      "format",
      "shutdown",
      "restart",
      "reg",
      "regedit",
      "net",
      "netsh",
      "takeown",
      "icacls"
    ],
    "blockedArguments": [
      "--exec",
      "-e",
      "/c",
      "-enc",
      "-encodedcommand",
      "-command",
      "--interactive",
      "-i",
      "--login",
      "--system"
    ],
    "allowedPaths": ["User's home directory", "Current working directory"],
    "restrictWorkingDirectory": true,
    "logCommands": true,
    "maxHistorySize": 1000,
    "commandTimeout": 30,
    "enableInjectionProtection": true
  },
  "shells": {
    "powershell": {
      "enabled": true,
      "command": "powershell.exe",
      "args": ["-NoProfile", "-NonInteractive", "-Command"],
      "blockedOperators": ["&", "|", ";", "`"]
    },
    "cmd": {
      "enabled": true,
      "command": "cmd.exe",
      "args": ["/c"],
      "blockedOperators": ["&", "|", ";", "`"]
    },
    "gitbash": {
      "enabled": true,
      "command": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\bin\\bash.exe",
      "args": ["-c"],
      "blockedOperators": ["&", "|", ";", "`"]
    }
  },
  "ssh": {
    "enabled": false,
    "defaultTimeout": 30,
    "maxConcurrentSessions": 5,
    "keepaliveInterval": 10000,
    "keepaliveCountMax": 3,
    "readyTimeout": 20000,
    "connections": {}
  }
}

Configuration Settings

The configuration file is divided into three main sections: security, shells, and ssh.

Security Settings

{
  "security": {
    // Maximum allowed length for any command
    "maxCommandLength": 1000,

    // Commands to block - blocks both direct use and full paths
    // Example: "rm" blocks both "rm" and "C:\\Windows\\System32\\rm.exe"
    // Case-insensitive: "del" blocks "DEL.EXE", "del.cmd", etc.
    "blockedCommands": [
      "rm", // Delete files
      "del", // Delete files
      "rmdir", // Delete directories
      "format", // Format disks
      "shutdown", // Shutdown system
      "restart", // Restart system
      "reg", // Registry editor
      "regedit", // Registry editor
      "net", // Network commands
      "netsh", // Network commands
      "takeown", // Take ownership of files
      "icacls" // Change file permissions
    ],

    // Arguments that will be blocked when used with any command
    // Note: Checks each argument independently - "cd warm_dir" won't be blocked just because "rm" is in blockedCommands
    "blockedArguments": [
      "--exec", // Execution flags
      "-e", // Short execution flags
      "/c", // Command execution in some shells
      "-enc", // PowerShell encoded commands
      "-encodedcommand", // PowerShell encoded commands
      "-command", // Direct PowerShell command execution
      "--interactive", // Interactive mode which might bypass restrictions
      "-i", // Short form of interactive
      "--login", // Login shells might have different permissions
      "--system" // System level operations
    ],

    // List of directories where commands can be executed
    "allowedPaths": ["C:\\Users\\YourUsername", "C:\\Projects"],

    // If true, commands can only run in allowedPaths
    "restrictWorkingDirectory": true,

    // If true, saves command history
    "logCommands": true,

    // Maximum number of commands to keep in history
    "maxHistorySize": 1000,

    // Timeout for command execution in seconds (default: 30)
    "commandTimeout": 30,

    // Enable or disable protection against command injection (covers ;, &, |, \`)
    "enableInjectionProtection": true
  }
}

Shell Configuration

{
  "shells": {
    "powershell": {
      // Enable/disable this shell
      "enabled": true,
      // Path to shell executable
      "command": "powershell.exe",
      // Default arguments for the shell
      "args": ["-NoProfile", "-NonInteractive", "-Command"],
      // Optional: Specify which command operators to block
      "blockedOperators": ["&", "|", ";", "`"]  // Block all command chaining
    },
    "cmd": {
      "enabled": true,
      "command": "cmd.exe",
      "args": ["/c"],
      "blockedOperators": ["&", "|", ";", "`"]  // Block all command chaining
    },
    "gitbash": {
      "enabled": true,
      "command": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\bin\\bash.exe",
      "args": ["-c"],
      "blockedOperators": ["&", "|", ";", "`"]  // Block all command chaining
    }
  }
}

SSH Configuration

{
  "ssh": {
    // Enable/disable SSH functionality
    "enabled": false,

    // Default timeout for SSH commands in seconds
    "defaultTimeout": 30,

    // Maximum number of concurrent SSH sessions
    "maxConcurrentSessions": 5,

    // Interval for sending keepalive packets (in milliseconds)
    "keepaliveInterval": 10000,

    // Maximum number of failed keepalive attempts before disconnecting
    "keepaliveCountMax": 3,

    // Timeout for establishing SSH connections (in milliseconds)
    "readyTimeout": 20000,

    // SSH connection profiles
    "connections": {
      // NOTE: these examples are not set in the default config!
      // Example: Local Raspberry Pi
      "raspberry-pi": {
        "host": "raspberrypi.local", // Hostname or IP address