Bring Authorization
to Cursor
Learn how to connect Cerbos (Access Control) to Cursor and start using 19 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 (Access Control) MCP Server?
Connect your Cerbos instance to any AI agent to streamline authorization management and policy auditing through natural language.
What you can do
- Permission Checks — Use
check_resourcesto evaluate if a principal (user) has the rights to perform specific actions on resources. - Query Planning — Generate AST query plans with
plan_resourcesto filter database results based on complex authorization logic. - Policy Management — List, retrieve, add, or delete policies (RBAC/ABAC) using the Admin API tools like
list_policiesandadd_policy. - Schema & Auditing — Inspect resource schemas and review access logs with
list_auditLogsto ensure compliance. - Health & Metrics — Monitor your PDP (Policy Decision Point) status with
get_healthandget_metricsdirectly from the chat.
How it works
- Subscribe to this server
- Enter your Cerbos PDP URL and Admin credentials (if required for policy management)
- Start auditing and managing your access control logic from Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client
Who is this for?
- Security Engineers — quickly audit existing policies and verify permission logic without manual API calls
- Backend Developers — test authorization scenarios and generate database filter plans during development
- Compliance Officers — retrieve audit logs and policy definitions to ensure organizational security standards
Built-in capabilities (19)
Add a new policy
Add or update a schema
Perform a single AuthZEN access evaluation
Perform batch AuthZEN access evaluations
Check permissions for a set of resources
Delete a policy by ID
Disable a policy
Enable a policy
Get AuthZEN configuration metadata
Get Cerbos health status
Get Prometheus metrics from Cerbos
Get a specific policy by ID
Get a specific schema by ID
Get Cerbos server version and build information
List audit logs
List all policies
List all schemas
Produce a query plan (AST) for filtering resources
Update an existing policy
Why Cursor?
Cursor's Agent mode turns Cerbos (Access Control) into an in-editor superpower. Ask Cursor to generate code using live data from Cerbos (Access Control) and it fetches, processes, and writes. all in a single agentic loop. 19 tools appear alongside file editing and terminal access, creating a unified development environment grounded in real-time information.
- —
Agent mode turns Cursor into an autonomous coding assistant that can read files, run commands, and call MCP tools without switching context
- —
Cursor's Composer feature can generate entire files using real-time data fetched through MCP. no copy-pasting from external dashboards
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MCP tools appear alongside built-in tools like file reading and terminal access, creating a unified agentic environment
- —
VS Code extension compatibility means your existing workflow, keybindings, and extensions all work alongside MCP tools
Cerbos (Access Control) in Cursor
Cerbos (Access Control) and 4,000+ other MCP servers. One platform. One governance layer.
Teams that connect Cerbos (Access Control) to Cursor 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 (Access Control) in Cursor
The Cerbos (Access Control) 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 19 tools execute in hardened sandboxes optimized for native MCP execution.
Your AI agents in Cursor 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 (Access Control) for Cursor
Every tool call from Cursor to the Cerbos (Access Control) MCP Server is protected by DLP redaction, cryptographic audit chains, V8 sandbox isolation, kill switch, and financial circuit breakers.
Frequently asked questions
Can I test if a specific user has access to a resource without writing code?
Yes. You can ask the agent to use the check_resources tool by providing the principal (user) details and the resource you want to check. The agent will return the allowed or denied status based on your Cerbos policies.
How do I view all the authorization policies currently loaded in my Cerbos server?
Simply ask the agent to 'list all policies'. It will invoke the list_policies tool (requires Admin credentials) and display the IDs of all active policies in your environment.
Can the AI help me generate filters for my database based on permissions?
Yes, by using the plan_resources tool. The agent will generate a query plan (AST) that describes the conditions under which a user is allowed to access resources, which you can then apply to your database queries.
What is Agent mode and why does it matter for MCP?
Agent mode is Cursor's autonomous execution mode where the AI can perform multi-step tasks: reading files, editing code, running terminal commands, and calling MCP tools. Without Agent mode, Cursor operates in a simpler ask-and-answer mode that doesn't support tool calling. Always ensure you're in Agent mode when working with MCP servers.
Where does Cursor store MCP configuration?
Cursor looks for MCP server configurations in a mcp.json file. You can configure servers at the project level (.cursor/mcp.json in your project root) or globally (~/.cursor/mcp.json). Project-level configs take precedence.
Can Cursor use MCP tools in inline edits?
No. MCP tools are only available in Agent mode through the chat panel. Inline completions and Tab suggestions do not trigger MCP tool calls. This is by design. tool calls require user visibility and approval.
How do I verify MCP tools are loaded?
Open Settings → Features → MCP and look for your server name. A green indicator means the server is connected. You can also check Agent mode's available tools by clicking the tools dropdown in the chat panel.
Tools not appearing in Cursor
Ensure you are in Agent mode (not Ask mode). MCP tools only work in Agent mode.
Server shows as disconnected
Check Settings → Features → MCP and verify the server status. Try clicking the refresh button.
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