SSH MCP Server

What is SSH MCP Server?

SSH MCP Server is a local Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that exposes SSH control for Linux and Windows systems, enabling LLMs and other MCP clients to execute shell commands securely via SSH.

How to use SSH MCP Server?

Install via npm using npx ssh-mcp with required arguments --host and --user, plus optional arguments for port, password, key, sudoPassword, timeout, maxChars, and disableSudo. Configure your MCP client (e.g., Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf) with the server's stdio transport and the above parameters, then invoke the exec or sudo-exec tools to run remote commands via natural language.

Key features of SSH MCP Server

• MCP-compliant server exposing SSH capabilities
• Execute commands on remote Linux and Windows systems
• Secure authentication via password or SSH key
• Built with TypeScript and the official MCP SDK
• Configurable timeout protection with automatic process abortion
• Graceful timeout handling kills hanging processes before closing

Use cases of SSH MCP Server

• Run shell commands on remote servers via natural language through an LLM
• Execute administrative commands with sudo elevation on Linux or Windows
• Integrate SSH command execution into IDEs like Cursor, Windsurf, or Claude Desktop
• Automate remote server management tasks from MCP-enabled applications

FAQ from SSH MCP Server

What are the runtime/dependency requirements?

Node.js is required (version indicated by the Node Version badge). The server is an npm package that needs SSH access to a remote Linux or Windows host.

How does authentication work?

Authentication can be done via SSH password (using --password) or SSH private key (using --key). Both methods are supported for the exec and sudo-exec tools.

What transport does the server support?

The server uses stdio transport, as shown in the client configuration examples for Claude Desktop, Cursor, and the Claude Code CLI setup.

Can I use sudo commands with this server?

Yes, the sudo-exec tool allows command execution with sudo. Optionally set --sudoPassword for password-protected sudo, or use --suPassword for a persistent root shell. Pass --disableSudo to remove the tool entirely.

Is there a command timeout and character limit?

Timeout is configurable via --timeout (default 60000ms); when exceeded, the server attempts to abort the process. Max command length is set via --maxChars (default 1000); use none or 0 to disable the limit.