What is the key difference between Actenon Kernel and Shield?

Actenon Kernel belongs to the Security category with local stdio execution, while Shield belongs to the Security category with local stdio execution.

How do I install Actenon Kernel or Shield in Claude Desktop or Cursor?

Copy the mcpServers JSON configuration snippet provided on this page into your claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json file and restart your AI client.

Are Actenon Kernel and Shield free or paid?

Actenon Kernel operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). Shield operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Actenon Kernel lists 0 tools with 0 views and 2 GitHub stars. Shield lists 6 tools with 4 views and 11 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Actenon Kernel and Shield together in the same MCP host?

Yes! MCP hosts like Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, and VS Code support configuring multiple servers under the mcpServers object simultaneously.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

Actenon Kernel vs Shield

In-depth architectural comparison of the Actenon Kernel and Shield MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.

At a Glance & Executive Verdict

Actenon Kernel

Security · Local stdio

Quality: 37/100 (Fair) | Auth: No auth required

Shield

Security · Local stdio

Quality: 63/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose Actenon Kernel if you need specialized Security tools running via a local process. Choose Shield if your workspace requires Security integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Actenon Kernel when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Security domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).

Explore Actenon Kernel Details

Choose Shield when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Security domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
Primary tools included: Pre-execution MCP call guardrails, TOFU tool-catalog pinning, Tool description and result scanning.

Explore Shield Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	Actenon Kernel Security	Shield AperionAI Security
Summary	Verify proof at the execution edge: ALLOW or a typed refusal a model can read.	Local guardrail proxy for AI coding agents. Wraps any MCP server (stdio or Streamable HTTP) and blocks destructive tool calls — DROP TABLE, rm -rf, force-push — before they execute. MCP supply-chain protection: TOFU tool-catalog pinning against rug pulls, plus tool-description and tool-result scanning for tool poisoning and prompt injection. 51 starter rules, approval gates, audit logging. Single binary, Apache-2.0.
Category & Scope

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Actenon Kernel Tools (0)

No explicit tool names declared in metadata yet. Check project README on main listing page.

Shield Tools (6)

Pre-execution MCP call guardrails

TOFU tool-catalog pinning

Tool description and result scanning

Approval gates and audit logging

Native agent hooks

Secret cloaking and taint tracking

Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations

Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).

Actenon Kernel Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "actenon-kernel": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "actenon-kernel"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Shield Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "aperionai-shield": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-postgres"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Actenon Kernel is categorized under Security and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Shield belongs to Security using local stdio subprocess. Select Actenon Kernel when you need capabilities focused on security and Shield when you require tools for security.

More alternatives to Actenon Kernel More alternatives to Shield Security category hub