What is the key difference between MCP Audit and Shellward?

MCP Audit belongs to the Security category with local stdio execution, while Shellward belongs to the Security category with local stdio execution.

How do I install MCP Audit or Shellward 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 MCP Audit and Shellward free or paid?

MCP Audit operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). Shellward operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

MCP Audit lists 6 tools with 3 views and 7 GitHub stars. Shellward lists 6 tools with 3 views and 136 GitHub stars.

Can I use both MCP Audit and Shellward 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

MCP Audit vs Shellward

In-depth architectural comparison of the MCP Audit and Shellward 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

MCP Audit

Security · Local stdio

Quality: 52/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required

Shellward

Security · Local stdio

Quality: 56/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose MCP Audit if you need specialized Security tools running via a local process. Choose Shellward 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 MCP Audit 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: Stdio and HTTP MCP proxying, JSONL and SQLite audit storage, HMAC-SHA256 audit signing.

Explore MCP Audit Details

Choose Shellward 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).
You have access to required keys: SHELLWARD_MODE, SHELLWARD_LOCALE, SHELLWARD_THRESHOLD, SHELLWARD_BASELINE_PATH.
Primary tools included: Stdio MCP server with local execution, Prompt injection detection for Chinese and English text, PII, credential, and sensitive-data scanning.

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	MCP Audit P4ST4S Security	Shellward jnMetaCode Security
Summary	Transparent Go proxy that intercepts, signs, rate-limits, redacts, and audits all MCP JSON-RPC tool calls without modifying client or server.	AI Agent Security Middleware & MCP Server with 8-layer defense including prompt injection detection, DLP data flow tracking, command blocking, and PII detection. 7 MCP tools, zero dependencies.
Category & Scope	Security

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

MCP Audit Tools (6)

Stdio and HTTP MCP proxying

JSONL and SQLite audit storage

HMAC-SHA256 audit signing

JSON key-based redaction

Tool policies and rate limits

Read-only dashboard and Prometheus metrics

Shellward Tools (6)

Stdio MCP server with local execution

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).

MCP Audit Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "p4st4s-mcp-audit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Shellward Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "jnmetacode-shellward": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "shellward"
      ],
      "env": {
        "SHELLWARD_MODE": "YOUR_SHELLWARD_MODE_HERE",
        "SHELLWARD_LOCALE": "YOUR_SHELLWARD_LOCALE_HERE",
        "SHELLWARD_THRESHOLD": "YOUR_SHELLWARD_THRESHOLD_HERE",
        "SHELLWARD_BASELINE_PATH": "YOUR_SHELLWARD_BASELINE_PATH_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

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

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