What is the key difference between Rail Score and Shield?

Rail Score belongs to the Security category with local stdio execution, while Shield belongs to the Security category with local stdio execution.

How do I install Rail Score 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 Rail Score and Shield free or paid?

Rail Score 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?

Rail Score lists 9 tools with 0 views and 0 GitHub stars. Shield lists 6 tools with 3 views and 6 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Rail Score 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.

How do I install Rail Score or Shield in Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf?

Both servers follow the standard Model Context Protocol configuration format. Simply copy the JSON block from the configuration section above and paste it into your AI client's mcpServers configuration object (for instance in claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json ), then completely restart or refresh the application.

Are Rail Score and Shield free to use, or do they require API keys?

Rail Score is listed under a Free / Open Source model with No auth required . Shield operates under a Free / Open Source model with No auth required . If environment variables are required (such as API keys), be sure to define them under the env key in your MCP client's configuration file.

Can I run both Rail Score and Shield at the same time in my AI client?

Yes! MCP clients support multi-server orchestration. You can include both rail-score and aperionai-shield as distinct keys inside the single mcpServers object in your configuration file. Your AI assistant will automatically select and call the appropriate tool from either server during chat sessions.

Which MCP server has higher directory engagement and quality ratings?

On AllMCPs, Rail Score has a Quality Score of 49 /100 ( Fair ) with 0 views, 0 installs, and 0 GitHub stars. Shield holds a Quality Score of 61 /100 ( Good ) with 3 views, 0 installs, and 6 GitHub stars.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

Rail Score vs Shield

In-depth architectural comparison of the Rail Score 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

Rail Score

Security · Local stdio

Quality: 49/100 (Fair) | Auth: No auth required

Shield

Security · Local stdio

Quality: 61/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose Rail Score 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 Rail Score 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: rail_evaluate, rail_check_compliance, rail_detect_injection.

Explore Rail Score 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).
You have access to required keys: SHIELD_CLOAK_VALUE.
Primary tools included: Intercepts and blocks destructive tool calls with 65+ adaptive rules, Supports local stdio and remote Streamable HTTP MCP servers, TOFU pinning of tool catalogs to prevent supply-chain attacks.

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	R Rail Score Security	Shield AperionAI Security
Summary	Responsible-AI guardrails for agents: scoring, prompt-injection & PII detection, DPDP compliance.	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	Security

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Rail Score Tools (9)

rail_evaluate

Score content across the 8 RAIL dimensions (optional `policy` enforcement)

rail_check_compliance

Check against gdpr, ccpa, hipaa, eu_ai_act, india_dpdp, india_ai_gov

rail_detect_injection

Detect prompt injection in untrusted text

rail_evaluate_tool_call

Allow/warn/block a tool call before it runs

rail_scan_tool_result

Scan a tool's output for PII + injection, return redacted text

rail_safe_regenerate

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).

Rail Score Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "rail-score": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/inspector"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Shield Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

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

Frequently Asked Questions

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

More alternatives to Rail Score More alternatives to Shield Security category hub Canonical compare URL