MCP permission manager for Windows

MCP (Model Context Protocol) lets AI assistants talk to tools and files. It does not ship with a permission system. Kobel adds one — a native Windows app that enforces color-coded rights across every MCP client you run.

What is MCP and why does permissioning matter?

MCP is the open protocol Anthropic published so AI agents can call tools and read files in a standardized way. Claude Desktop, ChatGPT Desktop, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Cursor, and Ollama all speak it. The protocol assumes the client trusts the server. Whoever controls the MCP server controls what the AI can do.

Kobel as the server

Kobel plugs in as the MCP server. Instead of giving each AI a raw filesystem path, you give it Kobel — which then applies your rules.

• One ruleset, every client.
• Per-folder colors: red, orange, yellow, teal, green.
• Built-in audit log per AI.
• Auto-detection of installed MCP-capable apps.

Who it is for

Developers who run multiple AI coding assistants and want a single permission boundary. Consultants and agencies who juggle client folders and cannot risk cross-contamination. Anyone who has installed more than one MCP-enabled app and realized there is no unified way to say "no".

How Kobel differs from OS-level permissions

Windows ACLs are designed for users and groups, not for AI agents. They cannot distinguish "Claude may read" from "Cursor may write". Kobel sits above the OS permissions and scopes per AI client, per folder.