Bring Authorization
to Claude Desktop
Learn how to connect Cerbos to Claude Desktop and start using 6 AI agent tools in minutes. Fully managed, enterprise secure, and ready to use without writing a single line of code.
GDPR Free for SubscribersCompatible with every major AI agent and IDE
Gemini
What is the Cerbos MCP Server?
Connect your Cerbos instance to any AI agent to manage complex authorization policies through natural language conversation.
What you can do
- Permission Evaluation — Use
check_resourcesto instantly verify if a principal can perform specific actions on resources based on your policies. - Query Planning — Generate AST-based query plans with
plan_resourcesto filter database results according to user permissions. - AuthZEN Compliance — Leverage standardized access requests using
authzen_evaluationandauthzen_evaluationstools. - System Monitoring — Check instance health and build metadata using
get_server_infoandget_authzen_config.
How it works
- Subscribe to this server
- Provide your Cerbos instance base URL (e.g.,
http://localhost:3592) - Start auditing and testing your access control logic directly from your chat interface
Who is this for?
- Software Engineers — debug complex RBAC/ABAC policies without manual API calls
- Security Auditors — verify permission logic across different roles and resource attributes
- DevOps Teams — monitor Cerbos instance metadata and configuration status
Built-in capabilities (6)
Single action evaluation using the AuthZEN entity model
Supports execute_all, deny_on_first_deny, and permit_on_first_permit semantics. Batch evaluation of multiple access requests using AuthZEN
This is a read-only evaluation. Evaluates permissions for a principal on a set of resources
Returns endpoint URLs for the AuthZEN APIs
Returns the version and build details of the Cerbos instance
Produces a query plan for obtaining a list of resources a principal is allowed to access
Why Claude Desktop?
Claude Desktop is the definitive way to connect Cerbos to your AI workflow. Add Vinkius Edge URL to your config, restart the app, and Claude immediately exposes all 6 tools in the chat interface. ask a question, Claude calls the right tool, and you see the answer. Zero code, zero context switching.
- —
Claude Desktop is the reference MCP client. it was designed alongside the protocol itself, ensuring the most complete and stable MCP implementation available
- —
Zero-code configuration: add a server URL to a JSON file and Claude instantly discovers and exposes all available tools in the chat interface
- —
Claude's extended thinking capability lets it reason through multi-step tool usage, chaining multiple API calls to answer complex questions
- —
Enterprise-grade security with local config storage. your tokens never leave your machine, and connections go directly to Vinkius Edge network
Cerbos in Claude Desktop
Cerbos and 4,000+ other MCP servers. One platform. One governance layer.
Teams that connect Cerbos to Claude Desktop through Vinkius don't need to source, host, or maintain individual MCP servers. Every tool call runs inside a hardened runtime with credential isolation, DLP, and a signed audit chain.
Raw MCP | Vinkius | |
|---|---|---|
| Server catalog | Find and host yourself | 4,000+ managed |
| Infrastructure | Self-hosted | Sandboxed V8 isolates |
| Credential handling | Plaintext in config | Vault + runtime injection |
| Data loss prevention | None | Configurable DLP policies |
| Kill switch | None | Global instant shutdown |
| Financial circuit breakers | None | Per-server limits + alerts |
| Audit trail | None | Ed25519 signed logs |
| SIEM log streaming | None | Splunk, Datadog, Webhook |
| Honeytokens | None | Canary alerts on leak |
| Custom domains | Not applicable | DNS challenge verified |
| GDPR compliance | Manual effort | Automated purge + export |
Why teams choose Vinkius for Cerbos in Claude Desktop
The Cerbos MCP Server runs on Vinkius-managed infrastructure inside AWS — a purpose-built runtime with per-request V8 isolates, Ed25519 signed audit chains, and sub-40ms cold starts. All 6 tools execute in hardened sandboxes optimized for native MCP execution.
Your AI agents in Claude Desktop only access the data you authorize, with DLP that blocks sensitive information from ever reaching the model, kill switch for instant shutdown, and up to 60% token savings. Enterprise-grade infrastructure, zero maintenance.
* Every MCP server runs on Vinkius-managed infrastructure inside AWS - a purpose-built runtime with per-request V8 isolates, Ed25519 signed audit chains, and sub-40ms cold starts optimized for native MCP execution. See our infrastructure
How Vinkius secures
Cerbos for Claude Desktop
Every tool call from Claude Desktop to the Cerbos MCP Server is protected by DLP redaction, cryptographic audit chains, V8 sandbox isolation, kill switch, and financial circuit breakers.
Frequently asked questions
Can I check if a specific user has permission to access a resource?
Yes. Use the check_resources tool by providing the principal (user) details and the resource information. The agent will return an evaluation of allowed or denied actions.
How do I generate a filter for my database based on user permissions?
Use the plan_resources tool. It produces a query plan (AST) that you can use to construct database queries, ensuring users only see records they are authorized to access.
Is it possible to verify the Cerbos server version via AI?
Yes, the get_server_info tool retrieves the version, build date, and commit hash of your connected Cerbos instance.
How does Claude Desktop discover MCP tools?
When Claude Desktop starts, it reads the claude_desktop_config.json file and connects to each configured MCP server. It calls the tools/list endpoint to fetch the schema for every available tool, then surfaces them as clickable options in the chat interface via the 🔌 icon.
What happens if the MCP server is temporarily unavailable?
Claude Desktop handles disconnections gracefully. if the server is unreachable at startup, the tools simply won't appear. Once the server becomes available again, restarting Claude Desktop will re-establish the connection. There is no timeout penalty or error loop.
Can I connect multiple MCP servers simultaneously?
Yes. You can add as many servers as you need in the mcpServers section of the config file. Each server appears as a separate tool provider, and Claude can use tools from multiple servers in a single conversation turn.
Is there a limit on the number of tools per server?
Claude Desktop can handle hundreds of tools per server. However, for optimal LLM performance, Vinkius servers are designed to expose focused, well-documented tool sets rather than overwhelming the model with too many options.
Does Claude Desktop support Streamable HTTP transport?
Yes. Claude Desktop supports both SSE (Server-Sent Events) and the newer Streamable HTTP transport that Vinkius uses. Simply provide the server URL. Claude auto-negotiates the transport protocol.
Server not appearing after restart
Ensure the JSON is valid (no trailing commas). Check the file path: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS) or %APPDATA%\\Claude\\ (Windows).
Authentication error
Verify your Vinkius token is correct. Go to cloud.vinkius.com to regenerate it if needed.
Tools not showing in chat
Click the 🔌 icon at the bottom of the chat input. If it shows 0 tools, the server may still be connecting. wait a few seconds.
Explore More MCP Servers
View all →
Skedda
9 toolsManage your workspace scheduling — create, update, and track bookings for desks, meeting rooms, and special venues directly through AI agents.
DoorDash Drive
10 toolsEquip your AI agent to manage deliveries, track dashers, and monitor order status via the DoorDash Drive API.
Chuanglan 253 / 创蓝
9 toolsLeading cloud communication and KYC platform in China — send ultra-high volume SMS and verify user identities via AI.
Readwise
6 toolsEquip your AI to directly search, read, and retrieve your unified digital highlights, books, and Reader documents stored in Readwise.