Ghosthunt MCP Server

Find every leaked secret on your machine — API keys in .env files, shell history, and configs.

Local serverstdio

What is the Ghosthunt MCP server?

Most developer tooling work still happens through a UI a human drives. Ghosthunt MCP server moves it into the conversation instead. Find every leaked secret on your machine — API keys in .env files, shell history, and configs.

The short version

GhostHunt is an MCP server that scans your development machine for API keys, tokens, and credentials hiding in places you forgot to check: .env files scattered across projects, shell history, AWS/SSH/Docker configs, and more.

The tools it exposes

The server publishes 2 tools. What each one is for:

  • scan_secrets — Full detailed scan. Returns every finding with file paths, line numbers, severity ratings, and remediation steps
  • scan_summary — Quick health check. Returns your health score (0-100) and a count by severity. Run this first to see if you have a problem

What it needs from you

Configuration is passed through the environment: STRIPE_SECRET_KEY, OPENAI_API_KEY. Treat anything key-shaped as a real credential — scope it to the minimum the server needs, and rotate it if it ever lands in a shared config.

Getting it running

The server ships on npm as ghosthunt, so your MCP client can launch it on demand — there is no separate build step. Add the server block to your client's configuration, restart it, and the tools register themselves.

How it compares

This sits in the developer tooling group, where several servers overlap in what they claim to do but differ sharply once you actually set them up. Ghosthunt's toolset — scan_secrets, scan_summary — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by 78degrees; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

We check each listing at SyncDev against the project's documentation before it goes live — if something here drifts out of date, it is a bug worth reporting.

Things to watch

  • It runs with your machine's permissions. That is convenient and also the reason to think about what you point it at before you approve a tool call.
  • Missing credentials fail quietly in some clients — if no tools show up, check the environment block first.
  • Keep per-call confirmation enabled while you learn its behaviour; it is the cheapest safeguard you have.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
scan_secretsFull detailed scan. Returns every finding with file paths, line numbers, severity ratings, and remediation steps.
scan_summaryQuick health check. Returns your health score (0-100) and a count by severity. Run this first to see if you have a problem.

How to install the Ghosthunt MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ghosthunt": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "ghosthunt"]
    }
  }
}

Configuration as documented by the project. Restart the client after saving.

Configuration

VariableDescriptionRequired
STRIPE_SECRET_KEYCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
OPENAI_API_KEYCredential the server authenticates with.Yes

Example prompts to try

  • Use Ghosthunt to scan secrets.
  • Use Ghosthunt to scan summary.

Frequently asked questions

It connects Ghosthunt to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 2 tools (scan_secrets, scan_summary) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Ghosthunt directly.