Claude Desktop Configuration

Configure Prisma AIRS MCP for Claude Desktop application

Overview

Claude Desktop is a native application that supports the Model Context Protocol, enabling AI-powered security scanning through Prisma AIRS. This integration provides real-time threat detection and security analysis within your Claude conversations.

Prerequisites

  • Claude Desktop application installed
  • Node.js v16 or later (for npx command)
  • Prisma AIRS MCP server running and accessible

Quick Start

  1. Locate your Claude Desktop configuration file
  2. Add the Prisma AIRS server configuration
  3. Restart Claude Desktop
  4. Verify tools are available

Configuration

macOS:

~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Windows:

%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Configuration Examples

Development Environment

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "prisma-airs-dev": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/mcp-remote", "http://localhost:3000"]
        }
    }
}

Production Environment

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "prisma-airs-prod": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/mcp-remote", "https://airs.example.com"]
        }
    }
}

Note: The -y flag ensures npx runs without prompts

Setup Instructions

Step 1: Open Configuration File

macOS:

# Open configuration in your editor
nano ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

# Or use a visual editor
open -e ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Windows:

# Open configuration in Notepad
notepad %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Step 2: Add Server Configuration

Add the Prisma AIRS server to your configuration. Choose based on your deployment:

Environment Server URL
Local Development http://localhost:3000
Docker (default) http://localhost:3000
Docker (custom port) http://localhost:3100
Production https://airs.example.com

Step 3: Save and Restart

  1. Save the configuration file
  2. Completely quit Claude Desktop (not just close the window):
    • macOS: Cmd+Q or Claude → Quit Claude
    • Windows: Alt+F4 or File → Exit
  3. Launch Claude Desktop again

Step 4: Verify Connection

Test the integration by asking Claude:

“What MCP tools do you have available for security scanning?”

Claude should list these Prisma AIRS tools:

Tool Name Description
airs_scan_content Real-time security scanning
airs_scan_async Batch content scanning
airs_get_scan_results Retrieve scan results
airs_get_threat_reports Detailed threat analysis
airs_clear_cache Clear server cache

Connection Methods

Uses npx to run mcp-remote without installation:

{
    "command": "npx",
    "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/mcp-remote", "http://localhost:3000"]
}

Advantages:

  • Zero installation required
  • Automatically uses latest version
  • Works immediately

Considerations:

  • First run downloads the package (~2-3 seconds)
  • Cached for subsequent uses

Method 2: Global Installation

For faster startup, install mcp-remote globally:

# Install globally
npm install -g @modelcontextprotocol/mcp-remote

# Verify installation
mcp-remote --version

Then use direct command:

{
    "command": "mcp-remote",
    "args": ["http://localhost:3000"]
}

Advantages:

  • Faster startup time
  • No network required after installation

Considerations:

  • Requires manual updates
  • Additional installation step

Using Security Tools

Example Conversations

Security Analysis:

“Can you analyze this code snippet for security vulnerabilities?”

Threat Detection:

“Please scan this user input for potential injection attacks.”

Compliance Check:

“Check if this document contains any sensitive data that should be masked.”

Tool Capabilities

Prisma AIRS tools in Claude Desktop can:

  • Detect prompt injection attempts
  • Identify malicious URLs and code
  • Find sensitive data exposure
  • Analyze database queries for SQL injection
  • Check for toxic or harmful content
  • Validate AI agent security

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Tools Not Appearing

Symptoms: Claude doesn’t show Prisma AIRS tools

Solutions:

  1. Validate JSON syntax:

     # macOS
 cat ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json | jq .

 # Windows
 type %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json | jq .

  2. Check server health:

     curl http://localhost:3000/health

  3. Verify complete restart:

    • Ensure Claude Desktop was fully quit (not just closed)
    • Check system tray/menu bar for running instances

Connection Failed

Error: “Failed to connect to MCP server”

Solutions:

  1. For local servers:

     # Check if server is running
 docker ps | grep prisma-airs

 # Test connection
 curl -I http://localhost:3000

  2. For remote servers:

    • Verify URL is accessible
    • Check firewall rules
    • Ensure HTTPS certificate is valid

npx Download Issues

Error: “npx failed to download package”

Solutions:

  1. Check npm registry:

     npm config get registry
 # Should be: https://registry.npmjs.org/

  2. Clear npm cache:

     npm cache clean --force

  3. Use explicit registry:

     {
     "command": "npx",
     "args": [
         "--registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/",
         "-y",
         "@modelcontextprotocol/mcp-remote",
         "http://localhost:3000"
     ]
 }

Debug Mode

Enable verbose logging for troubleshooting:

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "prisma-airs": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/mcp-remote", "http://localhost:3000"],
            "env": {
                "DEBUG": "mcp:*",
                "MCP_LOG_LEVEL": "debug",
                "NODE_ENV": "development"
            }
        }
    }
}

Best Practices

1. Environment Management

Use descriptive server names:

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "prisma-airs-dev": { /* dev config */ },
        "prisma-airs-prod": { /* prod config */ }
    }
}

2. Security Considerations

  • Always use HTTPS for production servers
  • Keep server URLs private
  • Regularly update both Claude Desktop and MCP server
  • Monitor server logs for suspicious activity

3. Performance Optimization

  • Use local servers for development
  • Monitor rate limits via airs_get_rate_limit_status
  • Clear cache periodically with airs_clear_cache
  • Consider geographic server placement for latency

4. Team Collaboration

  • Document server URLs and environments
  • Share configuration templates
  • Establish naming conventions
  • Create runbooks for common issues

Integration Examples

Security-First Development

  1. Configure Claude Desktop with Prisma AIRS
  2. Before committing code, ask:

    “Scan my recent changes for security vulnerabilities”

  3. Address any findings before pushing

Document Review Workflow

  1. Open sensitive document
  2. Ask Claude:

    “Check this document for data that should be redacted”

  3. Apply recommended masking

Incident Response

  1. During security incident, ask:

    “Analyze this log file for signs of compromise”

  2. Use threat reports for detailed analysis
  3. Document findings for post-mortem

Next Steps

Additional Resources

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