Can Cursor hooks block secret files before the AI reads them?
A Cursor file-read hook checks a file on the local computer before its contents enter the AI . In a controlled demo, Cursor tried to read a file containing a deliberately fake API key, and the hook blocked the read before the contents reached the agent.
Ordinary files remained available, and a person could explicitly allow a blocked file. Its in real projects has not yet been established.
Important unanswered cases include the hook failing to run, the same file being reached through another tool or command, ordinary files being blocked by mistake, and behavior changing across Cursor versions or s. This approach is not intended to replace or serve as a complete , and the demonstrated hook is part of a tool still being built.
Key points
- The hook checks file contents locally before sending them to the AI.
- It blocked a file containing a fake API key while allowing ordinary files.
- A person can explicitly allow a file after it has been blocked.
- Failures to run, alternative access methods, and mistaken blocks remain untested risks.
- may differ between Cursor versions and s.