AI Coding15 min read
HOL Guard: what it checks in Claude Code, Codex and Cursor
HOL Guard asks before Claude Code, Codex or Cursor run risky actions. What it held in a real Windows session, what its docs say it misses, and the price.
AI agent security
HOL Guard
Open-source local app that allows, asks about or blocks risky actions by AI coding agents.
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What it is
HOL Guard is a local app from HOL (Hashgraph Online) that sits between an AI coding agent and your machine. It registers with the hooks each agent exposes, so the agent calls Guard before it runs a shell command, reads a file, calls an MCP tool or installs a package. Guard then allows the action, asks you, or blocks it, and writes the decision to a local record it calls a receipt. The local app is licensed under Apache-2.0 and needs no account.
Facts from HOL's documentation and public metadata, checked 2026-11-14:
| Area | What HOL states |
|---|---|
| Agents | 16 listed in the README, including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot CLI, Cline and OpenCode |
| Decisions | Allow, ask or block, with a local receipt for each |
| Install | pipx install hol-guard, then hol-guard init; needs Python 3.10 or newer. Desktop apps for Apple silicon Macs, Windows x64 and Linux x86_64 |
| Platforms | macOS and Linux supported; Windows experimental, WSL recommended |
| Stated gaps | Background Claude Code sessions, inline Codex edits made without a tool call, Cursor's built-in terminal outside an agent session |
| First test | 3.59.0 on Windows 10 with Claude Code, 14 November 2026: hooks went into the global ~/.claude/settings.json; a fake .env read, an rm -rf, git status and a build script were all held for approval |
| Cloud | Optional. A connected machine reports Guard version, OS, protected tools, skill and plugin inventory and the applied policy |
| Release pace | Stable 3.59.0 on 4 November 2026; more than one stable release a day on average since July 2026 |
The full write-up, with sources, is in HOL Guard: what it checks in Claude Code, Codex and Cursor.
Pricing
| Model | freemium |
|---|---|
| Paid plans from | $4.99/month (Solo) |
| Notes | Free: the local app on one machine, Apache-2.0, no account. Guard Cloud is optional: Solo $4.99/month (2 cloud devices, 30 days retention), Pro $15/month (5 devices, 180 days), Team $30/seat/month (up to 25 devices, 365 days). Annual billing advertises two months free. |
| Checked | November 14, 2026 |