Pincer MCP Server

Pincer-MCP is a security-hardened Model Context Protocol (MCP) gateway that eliminates the "Lethal Trifecta" vulnerability in agentic AI systems. By acting as a stateless intermediary, Pincer ensures agents never see your real API keys. It runs locally over stdio via the published package.

People connecting security tools to Claude, Cursor, VS Code, or another MCP client. The project is written in TypeScript.

VERIFIED ACTIVE

LAST COMMIT 2026-02-18 · ★ 6 · #116 OF 182 MAINTAINED SECURITY · VERIFIED 2026-08-25

NOASSERTION · TypeScript servers · how we verify → /methodology

01 · Install Pincer

before you install - you'll need

Set PINCER_PROXY_TOKEN before connecting.

Claude Code

claude mcp add vouchlyai-pincer-mcp -- npx -y pincer-mcp

Claude Desktop / Cursor / VS Code - add to config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vouchlyai-pincer-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "pincer-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Same JSON for Cursor. For VS Code, rename the top-level key from `mcpServers` to `servers`.

Using another client? Same JSON, different key

Claude Desktop · mcpServers

Cursor · mcpServers

VS Code · servers

Windsurf · mcpServers

Zed · context_servers

Cline · mcpServers

Roo Code · mcpServers

Continue · mcpServers

LibreChat · mcpServers

Gemini CLI · mcpServers

Codex CLI · mcp_servers

Full setup guides: every client.

02 · Evidence

Security posture

What to check before giving this server access to your agent - from the registry, GitHub, and our own probes. We don't score safety; we show what's verifiable.

runs as local process (stdio) - runs on your machine with your user's permissions

license no standard license detected - usage rights unclear; check the repo before commercial use

npm package pincer-mcp - unscoped; check the name against the project README before installing

registry namespace io.github.VouchlyAI is GitHub-verified and matches the repo owner

03 · What Pincer can do

Prose above is summarized from the project's README and registry record - no invented capabilities.

Latest releases

v0.1.5 · 2026-02-05

Version 0.1.5 · Flexible Models & Smart Build System · This release focuses on future-proofing Pincer and optimizing the developer workflow. · What's New · Flexible Model Selection: Removed hardcoded enum restrictions…

v0.1.4 · 2026-02-05

Version 0.1.4 · Usage Analytics & Cost Transparency · This release introduces native character counting and token estimation directly in the audit logs. · What's New · Character Count Tracking: Every tool call now logs…

v0.1.3 · 2026-02-05

Version 0.1.3 · Schema Compliance & Dynamic Versioning · A maintenance and compatibility release focused on MCP protocol adherence. · What's New · MCP Schema Compliance: Fixed a validation error by shortening tool…

04 · Who maintains Pincer

pincer is maintained by vouchlyai. It's the only MCP server we track from this author; the repo dates to Feb 2026.

05 · Facts

repository: github.com/vouchlyai/pincer-mcp
category: security - ranked #116 of 182 actively-maintained security servers as of 2026-08-25.
registry: io.github.VouchlyAI/pincer (active, first published 2026-02-05)
packages: npm:pincer-mcp

06 · Pincer FAQ

What is Pincer?

Is Pincer still maintained?

Yes - as of 2026-08-25, its last commit was 2026-02-18. We re-verify nightly.

How do I install Pincer?

Run `npx -y pincer-mcp`. The README documents one environment variable (PINCER_PROXY_TOKEN) to set first. Set PINCER_PROXY_TOKEN before connecting. You can also paste the ready-made client config above.

Does Pincer run locally?

Yes - it's a stdio server: it runs on your machine (via npx) with your user's permissions. Your data stays local unless the server itself calls external APIs.

07 · Alternatives to Pincer

Alternatives to Pincer

Maintained security servers if Pincer isn't the fit.

Pairs well with

Servers that cover what Pincer doesn't - only shown when the pairing reason fits the companion.

More security MCP servers · Vuln Check · Cortex Gateway · Gateway Scan · Wundervault MCP · CIPP

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