IDA Pro MCP server

The MCP Server for IDA is a protocol server that enables interaction and automation with IDA Pro databases through Large Language Models. It provides tools that allow models to read and query IDA databases, making it easier to analyze binary files with AI assistance.

Installation

Prerequisites

You'll need to install both the server component and the IDA plugin to use this tool effectively.

Server Installation

Option 1: Using uv (Recommended)

The simplest way to run the server is with uv, specifically using the uvx command:

uvx mcp-server-ida

Option 2: Using pip

Alternatively, you can install the package via pip:

pip install mcp-server-ida

After installation, run it as a Python module:

python -m mcp_server_ida

IDA Plugin Installation

1. Locate the IDA plugins directory:

   • Windows: %APPDATA%\Hex-Rays\IDA Pro\plugins
   • Linux/macOS: $HOME/.idapro/plugins (e.g., ~/.idapro/plugins)

2. Copy the plugin files:

   • Copy repository/plugin/ida_mcp_server_plugin.py
   • Copy the entire repository/plugin/ida_mcp_server_plugin directory

   to your IDA plugins directory.

Configuration

Setting Up with Claude Desktop

To integrate the MCP server with Claude Desktop, you'll need to modify your claude_desktop_config.json file.

If using uvx:

"mcpServers": {
  "git": {
    "command": "uvx",
    "args": [
        "mcp-server-ida"
    ]
  }
}

If using pip installation:

"mcpServers": {
  "git": {
    "command": "python",
    "args": [
        "-m", 
        "mcp_server_ida"
    ]
  }
}

Usage

Debugging

You can use the MCP inspector to debug the server:

npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector uvx mcp-server-ida

If you're working with a specific installation directory:

cd path/to/mcp-server-ida/src
npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector uv run mcp-server-ida

Viewing Logs

To view server logs, which can be helpful for troubleshooting:

tail -n 20 -f ~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp*.log

Mode Support

Note that an "idalib mode" is under development (available from IDA Pro 9.0+). When implemented, this mode won't require installing the IDA plugin or running IDA directly.

How to add this MCP server to Cursor

There are two ways to add an MCP server to Cursor. The most common way is to add the server globally in the ~/.cursor/mcp.json file so that it is available in all of your projects.

If you only need the server in a single project, you can add it to the project instead by creating or adding it to the .cursor/mcp.json file.

Adding an MCP server to Cursor globally

To add a global MCP server go to Cursor Settings > MCP and click "Add new global MCP server".

When you click that button the ~/.cursor/mcp.json file will be opened and you can add your server like this:

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "cursor-rules-mcp": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "cursor-rules-mcp"
            ]
        }
    }
}

Adding an MCP server to a project

To add an MCP server to a project you can create a new .cursor/mcp.json file or add it to the existing one. This will look exactly the same as the global MCP server example above.

How to use the MCP server

Once the server is installed, you might need to head back to Settings > MCP and click the refresh button.

The Cursor agent will then be able to see the available tools the added MCP server has available and will call them when it needs to.

You can also explictly ask the agent to use the tool by mentioning the tool name and describing what the function does.