GhidraMCP

MCP.Pizza Chef: LaurieWired

Reverse engineering means working out what a program does when nobody has its original code. This add-on hands that job to an assistant: it can turn machine code back into something readable, list the functions, classes, and outside libraries a file uses, and replace cryptic auto-generated names with meaningful ones. The work runs through Ghidra, the free analysis tool you install first, plus a small Python bridge. Claude Desktop, Cline, and 5ire are all documented.

Unmaintained · No commits in 14 months.
Coding

Use This MCP server To

Read what an unknown program actually does Turn machine code back into readable functions Rename cryptic functions to something meaningful List the classes and functions inside a file Investigate a suspicious file before running it

README

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ghidra_MCP_logo

ghidraMCP

ghidraMCP is an Model Context Protocol server for allowing LLMs to autonomously reverse engineer applications. It exposes numerous tools from core Ghidra functionality to MCP clients.

ghidraMCP_demo.mp4

Features

MCP Server + Ghidra Plugin

  • Decompile and analyze binaries in Ghidra
  • Automatically rename methods and data
  • List methods, classes, imports, and exports

Installation

Prerequisites

Ghidra

First, download the latest release from this repository. This contains the Ghidra plugin and Python MCP client. Then, you can directly import the plugin into Ghidra.

  1. Run Ghidra
  2. Select File -> Install Extensions
  3. Click the + button
  4. Select the GhidraMCP-1-2.zip (or your chosen version) from the downloaded release
  5. Restart Ghidra
  6. Make sure the GhidraMCPPlugin is enabled in File -> Configure -> Developer
  7. Optional: Configure the port in Ghidra with Edit -> Tool Options -> GhidraMCP HTTP Server

Video Installation Guide:

ghidra_MCP_Install.mp4

MCP Clients

Theoretically, any MCP client should work with ghidraMCP. Three examples are given below.

Example 1: Claude Desktop

To set up Claude Desktop as a Ghidra MCP client, go to Claude -> Settings -> Developer -> Edit Config -> claude_desktop_config.json and add the following:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ghidra": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": [
        "/ABSOLUTE_PATH_TO/bridge_mcp_ghidra.py",
        "--ghidra-server",
        "http://127.0.0.1:8080/"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Alternatively, edit this file directly:

/Users/YOUR_USER/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

The server IP and port are configurable and should be set to point to the target Ghidra instance. If not set, both will default to localhost:8080.

Example 2: Cline

To use GhidraMCP with Cline, this requires manually running the MCP server as well. First run the following command:

python bridge_mcp_ghidra.py --transport sse --mcp-host 127.0.0.1 --mcp-port 8081 --ghidra-server http://127.0.0.1:8080/

The only required argument is the transport. If all other arguments are unspecified, they will default to the above. Once the MCP server is running, open up Cline and select MCP Servers at the top.

Cline select

Then select Remote Servers and add the following, ensuring that the url matches the MCP host and port:

  1. Server Name: GhidraMCP
  2. Server URL: http://127.0.0.1:8081/sse

Example 3: 5ire

Another MCP client that supports multiple models on the backend is 5ire. To set up GhidraMCP, open 5ire and go to Tools -> New and set the following configurations:

  1. Tool Key: ghidra
  2. Name: GhidraMCP
  3. Command: python /ABSOLUTE_PATH_TO/bridge_mcp_ghidra.py

Building from Source

  1. Copy the following files from your Ghidra directory to this project's lib/ directory:
  • Ghidra/Features/Base/lib/Base.jar
  • Ghidra/Features/Decompiler/lib/Decompiler.jar
  • Ghidra/Framework/Docking/lib/Docking.jar
  • Ghidra/Framework/Generic/lib/Generic.jar
  • Ghidra/Framework/Project/lib/Project.jar
  • Ghidra/Framework/SoftwareModeling/lib/SoftwareModeling.jar
  • Ghidra/Framework/Utility/lib/Utility.jar
  • Ghidra/Framework/Gui/lib/Gui.jar
  1. Build with Maven by running:

mvn clean package assembly:single

The generated zip file includes the built Ghidra plugin and its resources. These files are required for Ghidra to recognize the new extension.

  • lib/GhidraMCP.jar
  • extensions.properties
  • Module.manifest

GhidraMCP FAQ

Do I need Ghidra installed?
Yes — Ghidra must be installed and running, with this project's extension added to it.
Which apps does this work in?
Claude Desktop, Cline, and 5ire are shown in the instructions, and other MCP apps should work too.
Can I use this to figure out what a mystery program does?
Yes — the assistant can pull it apart, read the recovered code, and explain what it finds.
How hard is setup?
Fairly involved: install Ghidra, add the extension, install Python, then point your assistant at a small bridge script.
Does it need a paid account?
No — Ghidra and this add-on are both free and open source.
Can it rename things for me?
Yes — it can rename functions and data as it works out what each one is for.