mcp-hide-secrets

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UpdatedJuly 31, 2026 at 19:20

Secure Cursor MCP credentials on macOS by moving secrets from ~/.cursor/mcp.json or a project .cursor/mcp.json into ~/.local/share/cursor-mcp/mcp.env and loading them via a LaunchAgent at login. Use when the user runs /mcp-hide-secrets, asks to secure MCP config, externalize MCP secrets, set up mcp.env, or fix MCP auth after cleaning up mcp.json. macOS only — do not use on Windows or Linux.

Installation

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Source

CiscoDevNet

CiscoDevNet/essentials

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SKILL.md

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name	mcp-hide-secrets
description	Secure Cursor MCP credentials on macOS by moving secrets from ~/.cursor/mcp.json or a project .cursor/mcp.json into ~/.local/share/cursor-mcp/mcp.env and loading them via a LaunchAgent at login. Use when the user runs /mcp-hide-secrets, asks to secure MCP config, externalize MCP secrets, set up mcp.env, or fix MCP auth after cleaning up mcp.json. macOS only — do not use on Windows or Linux.
compatibility	macOS only. Requires bash, python3, launchctl, and write access to ~/Library/LaunchAgents. Windows support is planned via scripts/windows/ (not yet implemented).
metadata	{"version":"1.0","supported_os":"macos"}

MCP Hide Secrets (macOS — LaunchAgent + .env)

Move live credentials out of ~/.cursor/mcp.json and/or a project .cursor/mcp.json into ~/.local/share/cursor-mcp/mcp.env, loaded at login by a macOS LaunchAgent via launchctl setenv. Cursor interpolates ${env:VAR} in MCP env and headers blocks.

Agent workflow (required)

Run only scripts/run.sh. Do not write ad-hoc preflight, migrate, or verify commands.

# From this skill root (set PROJECT_MCP_JSON when a repo .cursor/mcp.json should be included):
chmod +x scripts/run.sh
USERNAME="$(whoami)" PROJECT_MCP_JSON="<repo>/.cursor/mcp.json" scripts/run.sh
USERNAME="$(whoami)" scripts/run.sh migrate
USERNAME="$(whoami)" scripts/run.sh status
scripts/run.sh fix-launchagents   # sudo in Terminal when agent cannot prompt

Never read or display secret values from mcp.json or mcp.env. Report script output only.

User says	Script
`/mcp-hide-secrets`	`scripts/run.sh` (default)
`/mcp-hide-secrets migrate`	`scripts/run.sh migrate` [optional `mcp.json` path]
`/mcp-hide-secrets status`	`scripts/run.sh status`
`/mcp-hide-secrets install`	`scripts/run.sh install` (after `fix-launchagents`)

If sudo fails in a non-interactive shell, ask the user to run scripts/fix-launchagents-dir.sh in Terminal, then USERNAME="$(whoami)" scripts/run.sh install.

After success: user quits Cursor (Cmd+Q) and reopens from Dock.

MCP config targets

Location	Path
Global	`~/.cursor/mcp.json`
Project	`<repo>/.cursor/mcp.json`

Both merge into ~/.local/share/cursor-mcp/mcp.env. Default run.sh migrates global first, then project when PROJECT_MCP_JSON is set. Migrate dirty files separately with scripts/run.sh migrate <path>.

Gotchas (keep in SKILL.md)

Dock-launched Cursor does not see ~/.zshrc exports — session env via LaunchAgent is required.
~/Library/LaunchAgents is sometimes owned by root; fix-launchagents-dir.sh is a normal step, not a one-off fix.
Migrate runs before LaunchAgent install so secrets move even when sudo is pending.
A server named github (any case) drops headers on migrate so OAuth can run.

Migration rules (summary)

Source in `mcpServers`	In `mcp.env`	In `mcp.json`
`env` literals	same key	`${env:KEY}`
`headers` literals	`MCP_<SERVER>_<HEADER>`	`${env:MCP_…}`

Identifiers (X-User-ID, ATLASSIAN_USER_EMAIL, …) stay inline. Details: references/launchctl.md.

References (read when needed)

File	When
references/install-cursor.md	Cursor-only optional steps (slash command, `disable-model-invocation`)
references/launchctl.md	Manual install, migration tables, ongoing ops
references/rationale.md	Why session env instead of per-server `envFile`
references/launchagent-naming.md	Label `local.<username>.cursor-mcp-env`, launchctl commands

Scripts

Script	Role
`run.sh`	Orchestrator — only agent entry point
`preflight.sh`	Read-only checks
`status.sh`	Read-only report
`check-inline-secrets.py`	Scan `mcp.json` without printing values
`install.sh`	Migrate-only or LaunchAgent install (called by `run.sh`)
`fix-launchagents-dir.sh`	`sudo chown "$(whoami):staff" ~/Library/LaunchAgents`
`verify.sh`	Post-install session env check

Files on the user's Mac

Path	Purpose
`~/.local/share/cursor-mcp/mcp.env`	Secrets (chmod 600, never commit)
`~/.local/share/cursor-mcp/load-mcp-env.sh`	Parser + `launchctl setenv`
`~/Library/LaunchAgents/local.<username>.cursor-mcp-env.plist`	Login hook
`~/.cursor/mcp.json` and/or project `.cursor/mcp.json`	Sanitized MCP config

Rotate credentials that were ever committed or pasted into chat before or after migration.

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name	mcp-hide-secrets
description	Secure Cursor MCP credentials on macOS by moving secrets from ~/.cursor/mcp.json or a project .cursor/mcp.json into ~/.local/share/cursor-mcp/mcp.env and loading them via a LaunchAgent at login. Use when the user runs /mcp-hide-secrets, asks to secure MCP config, externalize MCP secrets, set up mcp.env, or fix MCP auth after cleaning up mcp.json. macOS only — do not use on Windows or Linux.
compatibility	macOS only. Requires bash, python3, launchctl, and write access to ~/Library/LaunchAgents. Windows support is planned via scripts/windows/ (not yet implemented).
metadata	{"version":"1.0","supported_os":"macos"}

MCP Hide Secrets (macOS — LaunchAgent + .env)

Agent workflow (required)

Run only scripts/run.sh. Do not write ad-hoc preflight, migrate, or verify commands.

# From this skill root (set PROJECT_MCP_JSON when a repo .cursor/mcp.json should be included):
chmod +x scripts/run.sh
USERNAME="$(whoami)" PROJECT_MCP_JSON="<repo>/.cursor/mcp.json" scripts/run.sh
USERNAME="$(whoami)" scripts/run.sh migrate
USERNAME="$(whoami)" scripts/run.sh status
scripts/run.sh fix-launchagents   # sudo in Terminal when agent cannot prompt

Never read or display secret values from mcp.json or mcp.env. Report script output only.

User says	Script
`/mcp-hide-secrets`	`scripts/run.sh` (default)
`/mcp-hide-secrets migrate`	`scripts/run.sh migrate` [optional `mcp.json` path]
`/mcp-hide-secrets status`	`scripts/run.sh status`
`/mcp-hide-secrets install`	`scripts/run.sh install` (after `fix-launchagents`)

If sudo fails in a non-interactive shell, ask the user to run scripts/fix-launchagents-dir.sh in Terminal, then USERNAME="$(whoami)" scripts/run.sh install.

After success: user quits Cursor (Cmd+Q) and reopens from Dock.

MCP config targets

Location	Path
Global	`~/.cursor/mcp.json`
Project	`<repo>/.cursor/mcp.json`

Gotchas (keep in SKILL.md)

Dock-launched Cursor does not see ~/.zshrc exports — session env via LaunchAgent is required.
~/Library/LaunchAgents is sometimes owned by root; fix-launchagents-dir.sh is a normal step, not a one-off fix.
Migrate runs before LaunchAgent install so secrets move even when sudo is pending.
A server named github (any case) drops headers on migrate so OAuth can run.

Migration rules (summary)

Source in `mcpServers`	In `mcp.env`	In `mcp.json`
`env` literals	same key	`${env:KEY}`
`headers` literals	`MCP_<SERVER>_<HEADER>`	`${env:MCP_…}`

Identifiers (X-User-ID, ATLASSIAN_USER_EMAIL, …) stay inline. Details: references/launchctl.md.

References (read when needed)

File	When
references/install-cursor.md	Cursor-only optional steps (slash command, `disable-model-invocation`)
references/launchctl.md	Manual install, migration tables, ongoing ops
references/rationale.md	Why session env instead of per-server `envFile`
references/launchagent-naming.md	Label `local.<username>.cursor-mcp-env`, launchctl commands

Scripts

Script	Role
`run.sh`	Orchestrator — only agent entry point
`preflight.sh`	Read-only checks
`status.sh`	Read-only report
`check-inline-secrets.py`	Scan `mcp.json` without printing values
`install.sh`	Migrate-only or LaunchAgent install (called by `run.sh`)
`fix-launchagents-dir.sh`	`sudo chown "$(whoami):staff" ~/Library/LaunchAgents`
`verify.sh`	Post-install session env check

Files on the user's Mac

Path	Purpose
`~/.local/share/cursor-mcp/mcp.env`	Secrets (chmod 600, never commit)
`~/.local/share/cursor-mcp/load-mcp-env.sh`	Parser + `launchctl setenv`
`~/Library/LaunchAgents/local.<username>.cursor-mcp-env.plist`	Login hook
`~/.cursor/mcp.json` and/or project `.cursor/mcp.json`	Sanitized MCP config

Rotate credentials that were ever committed or pasted into chat before or after migration.