Windows Debugger

Introduction

This project is a self-made, lightweight MCP Debugger Server developed for learning and experimentation. The MCP Debugger Server exposes debugger functionality as MCP tools, enabling external MCP clients to control execution, inspect memory, and analyze the debuggee through a clean interface.

The debugger is written in c++ and implements core debugging functionality from scratch without relying on existing debugger frameworks. For instruction decoding the Zydis disassembler is used. The debugger is integrated with an MCP server written in c#, built using the official MCP C# SDK.

Keywords:
MCP server, debugger, disassembler, static analysis, dynamic analysis, debugging, AI, EXE, executable, Windows

Demo

Gemini CLI was used as MCP Client in the Demo

Quickstart: Setting up MCP.Server.exe in VS Code

This guide provides a step-by-step process for building and integrating the MCP.Server.exe into Visual Studio Code on Windows.

Step 1: Build the Solution

Before configuring VS Code, you must compile the mcp server:

1. Open MCPDebugger.sln in Visual Studio.
2. Build the solution
3. Confirm that MCP.Server.exe exists in your \build\Release\x86 or \build\Release\x64 subfolder.

Step 2: Install Required VS Code Extensions

Ensure the following extensions are installed and active in VS Code:

• GitHub Copilot
• GitHub Copilot Chat

Step 3: Add the MCP Server

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + P to open the Command Palette.
2. Type > and select "Add MCP Server".
3. Choose command (stdio) as the server type.

Step 4: Configure the Path

Enter the full path to MCP.Server.exe you built in Step 1.

[!CAUTION] Only one architecture (x86 or x64) should be active as MCP server at a time. If you switch architecture, remove the previous server entry first.

Architecture	Example Path to Enter
Windows x64	C:\YourProject\bin\x64\MCP.Server.exe
Windows x86	C:\YourProject\bin\x86\MCP.Server.exe

Step 5: Finalize & Use

1. Name the Server: Enter a name for the MCP Server and press Enter.
2. Verify: Open Copilot Chat (Ctrl + Alt + I), switch to Agent Mode, and click the Tools icon. Your MCP tools should now be listed and ready for use. MCP tools can be enabled / disabled here.

VS Code Screenshots

VS Code: Toolbar with installed extensions and MCP Server

VS Code: Copilot Chat Window

Model Recommendations

For complex debugging and reverse-engineering tasks using this MCP debugger, Claude Opus 4.5 delivered by far the best results as of November 2025. It consistently handled large execution traces, detailed disassembly, and multi-step reasoning more reliably than other tested models.

ChatGPT 4.1 and Gemini 2.5 Pro were sufficient for simpler analysis scenarios, such as basic stepping, instruction inspection, and straightforward control-flow reasoning. These models performed well for the examples provided in the Example_x64 and Example_x86 folders, but showed limitations when dealing with more complex or long-running debugging sessions.

Model performance may change over time, but the above reflects observed behavior at the time of testing.

Disclaimer

Debugging via MCP can result in high token usage and increased costs. AI interactions are stateless, which means that all relevant debugging context (registers, memory, disassembly, modules, etc.) must be transferred repeatedly with each request.

Operations that frequently stop execution and return detailed state—such as stepping and temporary breakpoints—can significantly amplify token consumption.

If low-cost operation is required, it is strongly recommended to focus on static analysis and disable the following MCP tools:

• Debugger_ContinueToBreakpoint
• Debugger_ContinueToApiBreakpoint
• Debugger_StepInto
• Debugger_StepOver

Disabling these tools reduces the amount of repeated state transfer and helps keep token usage under control.

Examples

The repository includes example projects to help get started with static analysis and debugging and are located in the following folders:

• Example_x64 and Example_x86
  The Example_x64 and Example_x86 projects provide a simple console application used as an introductory debugging target. The application prompts the user to enter a password at runtime. The correct password for both examples is secret.

• MCP_Debugging_Sessions
  A folder containing more complex debugging sessions that leverage dynamic analysis and debugging. In these sessions Claude Opus 4.5 was used. The targets can be downloaded here. Please note that the targets were unpacked using UPX -d before using the MCP Debugger.

MCP Tools

The MCP server exposes the following tools to interact with the debugger:

Debugger Lifecycle

• Debugger_Start
  Starts the debugger for the specified executable and breaks on the initial system breakpoint.

• Debugger_Stop
  Stops the debugger and terminates the debuggee process.

Execution Control

• Debugger_Continue
  Continues execution when the debuggee is stopped at a breakpoint.

• Debugger_ContinueToEntryPoint
  Continues execution from the system breakpoint to the program entry point.

• Debugger_ContinueToBreakpoint
  Continues execution until a temporary breakpoint at a specified virtual address is reached.

• Debugger_ContinueToApiBreakpoint
  Continues execution until a temporary breakpoint on a specified API function is reached.

• Debugger_StepInto
  Steps into the next instruction, entering function calls.

• Debugger_StepOver
  Steps over function calls and continues to the next instruction.

Code & Memory Inspection

• Debugger_Disassemble
  Disassembles memory at a given virtual address and returns instructions including symbol information.

• Debugger_TryResolveString
  Attempts to resolve and read a string from the debuggee’s memory.

• Debugger_ReadMemory
  Reads raw memory bytes from the debuggee process.

• Debugger_WriteMemory
  Writes arbitrary bytes into the debuggee’s memory.

Module Inspection

• Debugger_GetModules
  Returns a list of currently loaded modules for the debuggee process.

• Debugger_GetModuleImports
  Returns the imported functions of a specified module.

• Debugger_GetModuleExports
  Returns the exported functions of a specified module.

• Debugger_GetModuleSections
  Returns section information of a specified module.

Utilities

• Debugger_HexToDecConverter
  Converts hexadecimal values to decimal to avoid number conversion errors.

Solution Overview

The Visual Studio solution is organized into the following projects:

• MCP.Debugger
  The core debugger implemented in C++. It includes a C++/CLI bridge to expose a managed interface for .NET clients.

• MCP.Debugger.Tester
  A simple WinForms application used to test the debugger through the managed .NET interface.

• MCP.Debugger.Types
  A types assembly that defines shared structures and data types for managed-native transitions between the debugger and .NET clients.

• MCP.Server
  The C# MCP server that exposes debugger functionality as MCP tools for external clients.