InSpec CLI
Use the InSpec Command Line Interface (CLI) to run tests and audits against targets using local, SSH, WinRM, or Docker connections.
archive
Archive a profile to a tar file (default) or zip file.
Syntax
This subcommand has the following syntax:
inspec archive PATH
Options
This subcommand has the following additional options:
--airgap,--no-airgap- Fallback to using local archives if fetching fails.
--auto-install-gems,--no-auto-install-gems- Auto installs gem dependencies of the profile or resource pack.
--ignore-errors,--no-ignore-errors- Ignore profile warnings.
-o,--output=OUTPUT- Save the archive to a path.
--overwrite,--no-overwrite- Overwrite existing archive.
--profiles-path=PROFILES_PATH- Folder which contains referenced profiles.
--tar,--no-tar- Generates a tar.gz archive.
--vendor-cache=VENDOR_CACHE- Use the given path for caching dependencies, (default: ~/.inspec/cache).
--zip,--no-zip- Generates a zip archive.
check
Verify the metadata in the inspec.yml file, verify that control blocks have the correct fields (title, description, impact), and define that all controls have visible tests and the controls are not using deprecated inspec dsl code
Syntax
This subcommand has the following syntax:
inspec check PATH
Options
This subcommand has the following additional options:
--auto-install-gems,--no-auto-install-gems- Auto installs gem dependencies of the profile or resource pack.
--format=FORMAT- The output format to use. Valid values: `json` and `doc`. Default value: `doc`.
--profiles-path=PROFILES_PATH- Folder which contains referenced profiles.
--vendor-cache=VENDOR_CACHE- Use the given path for caching dependencies, (default: ~/.inspec/cache).
--with-cookstyle,--no-with-cookstyle- Enable or disable cookstyle checks.
clear_cache
Clears the inspec cache. useful for debugging.
Syntax
This subcommand has the following syntax:
inspec clear_cache
Options
This subcommand has the following additional options:
--vendor-cache=VENDOR_CACHE- Use the given path for caching dependencies, (default: `~/.inspec/cache`).
detect
Detects the target os.
Syntax
This subcommand has the following syntax:
inspec detect
Options
This subcommand has the following additional options:
-b,--backend=BACKEND- Choose a backend: local, ssh, winrm, docker.
--bastion-host=BASTION_HOST- Specifies the bastion host if applicable.
--bastion-port=BASTION_PORT- Specifies the bastion port if applicable.
--bastion-user=BASTION_USER- Specifies the bastion user if applicable.
--ca-trust-file=CA_TRUST_FILE- Specify CA certificate required for SSL authentication (WinRM).
--client-cert=CLIENT_CERT- Specify client certificate for SSL authentication
--client-key=CLIENT_KEY- Specify client key required with client cert for SSL authentication
--client-key-pass=CLIENT_KEY_PASS- Specify client cert password, if required for SSL authentication
--config=CONFIG- Read configuration from JSON file (`-` reads from stdin).
--docker-url=DOCKER_URL- Provides path to Docker API endpoint (Docker). Defaults to unix:///var/run/docker.sock on Unix systems and tcp://localhost:2375 on Windows.
--enable-password=ENABLE_PASSWORD- Password for enable mode on Cisco IOS devices.
--format=FORMAT--host=HOST- Specify a remote host which is tested.
--insecure,--no-insecure- Disable SSL verification on select targets.
-i,--key-files=one two three- Login key or certificate file for a remote scan.
--password=PASSWORD- Login password for a remote scan, if required.
--path=PATH- Login path to use when connecting to the target (WinRM).
--podman-url=PODMAN_URL- Provides the path to the Podman API endpoint. Defaults to unix:///run/user/$UID/podman/podman.sock for rootless container, unix:///run/podman/podman.sock for rootful container (for this you need to execute inspec as root user).
-p,--port=N- Specify the login port for a remote scan.
--proxy-command=PROXY_COMMAND- Specifies the command to use to connect to the server.
--self-signed,--no-self-signed- Allow remote scans with self-signed certificates (WinRM).
--shell,--no-shell- Run scans in a subshell. Only activates on Unix.
--shell-command=SHELL_COMMAND- Specify a particular shell to use.
--shell-options=SHELL_OPTIONS- Additional shell options.
--ssh-config-file=one two three- A list of paths to the ssh config file, e.g ~/.ssh/config or /etc/ssh/ssh_config.
--ssl,--no-ssl- Use SSL for transport layer encryption (WinRM).
--ssl-peer-fingerprint=SSL_PEER_FINGERPRINT- Specify SSL peer fingerprint in place of certificates for SSL authentication (WinRM).
--sudo,--no-sudo- Run scans with sudo. Only activates on Unix and non-root user.
--sudo-command=SUDO_COMMAND- Alternate command for sudo.
--sudo-options=SUDO_OPTIONS- Additional sudo options for a remote scan.
--sudo-password=SUDO_PASSWORD- Specify a sudo password, if it is required.
-t,--target=TARGET- Simple targeting option using URIs, e.g. ssh://user:pass@host:port
--target-id=TARGET_ID- Provide an ID which will be included on reports - deprecated
--user=USER- The login user for a remote scan.
--winrm-basic-auth-only,--no-winrm-basic-auth-only- Whether to use basic authentication, defaults to false (WinRM).
--winrm-disable-sspi,--no-winrm-disable-sspi- Whether to use disable sspi authentication, defaults to false (WinRM).
--winrm-shell-type=WINRM_SHELL_TYPE- Specify which shell type to use (powershell, elevated, or cmd), which defaults to powershell (WinRM).
--winrm-transport=WINRM_TRANSPORT- Specify which transport to use, defaults to negotiate (WinRM).
env
Outputs shell-appropriate completion configuration.
Syntax
This subcommand has the following syntax:
inspec env
exec
Run all test files at the specified locations.
The subcommand loads the given profiles, fetches their dependencies if needed, then connects to the target and executes any controls in the profiles. One or more reporters are used to generate the output.
Exit codes:
0 Normal exit, all tests passed
1 Usage or general error
2 Error in plugin system
3 Fatal deprecation encountered
100 Normal exit, at least one test failed
101 Normal exit, at least one test skipped but none failed
172 Chef License not accepted
Below are some examples of using exec with different test LOCATIONS:
Chef Automate:
inspec automate login
inspec exec compliance://username/linux-baseline
inspec compliance is a backwards compatible alias for inspec automate and works the same way:
inspec compliance login
Chef Supermarket:
inspec exec supermarket://username/linux-baseline
Local profile (executes all tests in controls/):
inspec exec /path/to/profile
Local single test (doesn’t allow inputs or custom resources)
inspec exec /path/to/a_test.rb
Git via SSH
inspec exec git@github.com:dev-sec/linux-baseline.git
Git via HTTPS (.git suffix is required):
inspec exec https://github.com/dev-sec/linux-baseline.git
Private Git via HTTPS (.git suffix is required):
inspec exec https://API_TOKEN@github.com/dev-sec/linux-baseline.git
Private Git via HTTPS and cached credentials (.git suffix is required):
git config credential.helper cache
git ls-remote https://github.com/dev-sec/linux-baseline.git
inspec exec https://github.com/dev-sec/linux-baseline.git
Web hosted file (also supports .zip):
inspec exec https://webserver/linux-baseline.tar.gz
Web hosted file with basic authentication (supports .zip):
inspec exec https://username:password@webserver/linux-baseline.tar.gz
Syntax
This subcommand has the following syntax:
inspec exec LOCATIONS
Options
This subcommand has the following additional options:
--attrs=one two three- Legacy name for --input-file - deprecated.
--auto-install-gems,--no-auto-install-gems- Auto installs gem dependencies of the profile or resource pack.
-b,--backend=BACKEND- Choose a backend: local, ssh, winrm, docker.
--backend-cache,--no-backend-cache- Allow caching for backend command output. (default: true).
--bastion-host=BASTION_HOST- Specifies the bastion host if applicable.
--bastion-port=BASTION_PORT- Specifies the bastion port if applicable.
--bastion-user=BASTION_USER- Specifies the bastion user if applicable.
--ca-trust-file=CA_TRUST_FILE- Specify CA certificate required for SSL authentication (WinRM).
--client-cert=CLIENT_CERT- Specify client certificate for SSL authentication
--client-key=CLIENT_KEY- Specify client key required with client cert for SSL authentication
--client-key-pass=CLIENT_KEY_PASS- Specify client cert password, if required for SSL authentication
--command-timeout=N- Maximum seconds to allow commands to run during execution.
--config=CONFIG- Read configuration from JSON file (`-` reads from stdin).
--controls=one two three- A list of control names to run, or a list of /regexes/ to match against control names. Ignore all other tests.
--create-lockfile,--no-create-lockfile- Write out a lockfile based on this execution (unless one already exists)
--diff,--no-diff- Use --no-diff to suppress 'diff' output of failed textual test results.
--distinct-exit,--no-distinct-exit- Exit with code 101 if any tests fail, and 100 if any are skipped (default). If disabled, exit 0 on skips and 1 for failures.
--docker-url=DOCKER_URL- Provides path to Docker API endpoint (Docker). Defaults to unix:///var/run/docker.sock on Unix systems and tcp://localhost:2375 on Windows.
--enable-password=ENABLE_PASSWORD- Password for enable mode on Cisco IOS devices.
--enhanced-outcomes,--no-enhanced-outcomes- Show enhanced outcomes in output
--filter-empty-profiles,--no-filter-empty-profiles- Filter empty profiles (profiles without controls) from the report.
--filter-waived-controls,--no-filter-waived-controls- Do not execute waived controls in InSpec at all. Must use with --waiver-file. Ignores the `run` setting of the waiver file.
--host=HOST- Specify a remote host which is tested.
--input=name1=value1 name2=value2- Specify one or more inputs directly on the command line, as --input NAME=VALUE. Accepts single-quoted YAML and JSON structures.
--input-file=one two three- Load one or more input files, a YAML file with values for the profile to use.
--insecure,--no-insecure- Disable SSL verification on select targets.
-i,--key-files=one two three- Login key or certificate file for a remote scan.
--password=PASSWORD- Login password for a remote scan, if required.
--path=PATH- Login path to use when connecting to the target (WinRM).
--podman-url=PODMAN_URL- Provides the path to the Podman API endpoint. Defaults to unix:///run/user/$UID/podman/podman.sock for rootless container, unix:///run/podman/podman.sock for rootful container (for this you need to execute inspec as root user).
-p,--port=N- Specify the login port for a remote scan.
--profiles-path=PROFILES_PATH- Folder which contains referenced profiles.
--proxy-command=PROXY_COMMAND- Specifies the command to use to connect to the server.
--reporter=one two:/output/file/path- Enable one or more output reporters: cli, documentation, html, progress, progress-bar, json, json-min, json-rspec, junit, yaml
--reporter-backtrace-inclusion,--no-reporter-backtrace-inclusion- Include a code backtrace in report data (default: true)
--reporter-include-source,--no-reporter-include-source- Include full source code of controls in the CLI report
--reporter-message-truncation=REPORTER_MESSAGE_TRUNCATION- Number of characters to truncate failure messages and code_desc in report data to (default: no truncation)
--retain-waiver-data,--no-retain-waiver-data- EXPERIMENTAL: Only works in conjunction with --filter-waived-controls, retains waiver data about controls that were skipped
--self-signed,--no-self-signed- Allow remote scans with self-signed certificates (WinRM).
--shell,--no-shell- Run scans in a subshell. Only activates on Unix.
--shell-command=SHELL_COMMAND- Specify a particular shell to use.
--shell-options=SHELL_OPTIONS- Additional shell options.
--show-progress,--no-show-progress- Show progress while executing tests.
--silence-deprecations=all|GROUP GROUP...- Suppress deprecation warnings. See install_dir/etc/deprecations.json for a list of GROUPs or use 'all'.
--sort-results-by=--sort-results-by=none|control|file|random- After normal execution order, results are sorted by control ID, or by file (default), or randomly. None uses legacy unsorted mode.
--ssh-config-file=one two three- A list of paths to the ssh config file, e.g ~/.ssh/config or /etc/ssh/ssh_config.
--ssl,--no-ssl- Use SSL for transport layer encryption (WinRM).
--ssl-peer-fingerprint=SSL_PEER_FINGERPRINT- Specify SSL peer fingerprint in place of certificates for SSL authentication (WinRM).
--sudo,--no-sudo- Run scans with sudo. Only activates on Unix and non-root user.
--sudo-command=SUDO_COMMAND- Alternate command for sudo.
--sudo-options=SUDO_OPTIONS- Additional sudo options for a remote scan.
--sudo-password=SUDO_PASSWORD- Specify a sudo password, if it is required.
--supermarket-url=SUPERMARKET_URL- Specify the URL of a private Chef Supermarket.
--tags=one two three- A list of tags names that are part of controls to filter and run controls, or a list of /regexes/ to match against tags names of controls. Ignore all other tests.
-t,--target=TARGET- Simple targeting option using URIs, e.g. ssh://user:pass@host:port
--target-id=TARGET_ID- Provide an ID which will be included on reports - deprecated
--user=USER- The login user for a remote scan.
--vendor-cache=VENDOR_CACHE- Use the given path for caching dependencies, (default: ~/.inspec/cache).
--waiver-file=one two three- Load one or more waiver files.
--winrm-basic-auth-only,--no-winrm-basic-auth-only- Whether to use basic authentication, defaults to false (WinRM).
--winrm-disable-sspi,--no-winrm-disable-sspi- Whether to use disable sspi authentication, defaults to false (WinRM).
--winrm-shell-type=WINRM_SHELL_TYPE- Specify which shell type to use (powershell, elevated, or cmd), which defaults to powershell (WinRM).
--winrm-transport=WINRM_TRANSPORT- Specify which transport to use, defaults to negotiate (WinRM).
export
Read the profile in path and generate a summary in the given format.
Syntax
This subcommand has the following syntax:
inspec export PATH
Options
This subcommand has the following additional options:
--auto-install-gems,--no-auto-install-gems- Auto installs gem dependencies of the profile or resource pack.
--controls=one two three- For --what=profile, a list of controls to include. Ignore all other tests.
--format=FORMAT- The output format to use: json, raw, yaml. If valid format is not provided then it will use the default for the given 'what'.
-o,--output=OUTPUT- Save the created output to a path.
--profiles-path=PROFILES_PATH- Folder which contains referenced profiles.
--tags=one two three- For --what=profile, a list of tags to filter controls and include only those. Ignore all other tests.
--vendor-cache=VENDOR_CACHE- Use the given path for caching dependencies, (default: ~/.inspec/cache).
--what=WHAT- What to export: profile (default), readme, metadata.
help
Describe available commands or one specific command
Syntax
This subcommand has the following syntax:
inspec help [COMMAND]
json
Read all tests in the path and generate a json summary.
Syntax
This subcommand has the following syntax:
inspec json PATH
Options
This subcommand has the following additional options:
--auto-install-gems,--no-auto-install-gems- Auto installs gem dependencies of the profile or resource pack.
--controls=one two three- A list of controls to include. Ignore all other tests.
-o,--output=OUTPUT- Save the created profile to a path.
--profiles-path=PROFILES_PATH- Folder which contains referenced profiles.
--tags=one two three- A list of tags to filter controls and include only those. Ignore all other tests.
--vendor-cache=VENDOR_CACHE- Use the given path for caching dependencies, (default: ~/.inspec/cache).
run_context
Used to test run-context detection
Syntax
This subcommand has the following syntax:
inspec run_context
schema
Print the json schema
Syntax
This subcommand has the following syntax:
inspec schema NAME
Options
This subcommand has the following additional options:
--enhanced-outcomes,--no-enhanced-outcomes- Show enhanced outcomes output
shell
Open an interactive debugging shell.
Syntax
This subcommand has the following syntax:
inspec shell
Options
This subcommand has the following additional options:
-b,--backend=BACKEND- Choose a backend: local, ssh, winrm, docker.
--bastion-host=BASTION_HOST- Specifies the bastion host if applicable.
--bastion-port=BASTION_PORT- Specifies the bastion port if applicable.
--bastion-user=BASTION_USER- Specifies the bastion user if applicable.
--ca-trust-file=CA_TRUST_FILE- Specify CA certificate required for SSL authentication (WinRM).
--client-cert=CLIENT_CERT- Specify client certificate for SSL authentication
--client-key=CLIENT_KEY- Specify client key required with client cert for SSL authentication
--client-key-pass=CLIENT_KEY_PASS- Specify client cert password, if required for SSL authentication
-c,--command=COMMAND- A single command string to run instead of launching the shell
--command-timeout=N- Maximum seconds to allow a command to run.
--config=CONFIG- Read configuration from JSON file (`-` reads from stdin).
--depends=one two three- A space-delimited list of local folders containing profiles whose libraries and resources will be loaded into the new shell
--distinct-exit,--no-distinct-exit- Exit with code 100 if any tests fail, and 101 if any are skipped but none failed (default). If disabled, exit 0 on skips and 1 for failures.
--docker-url=DOCKER_URL- Provides path to Docker API endpoint (Docker). Defaults to unix:///var/run/docker.sock on Unix systems and tcp://localhost:2375 on Windows.
--enable-password=ENABLE_PASSWORD- Password for enable mode on Cisco IOS devices.
--enhanced-outcomes,--no-enhanced-outcomes- Show enhanced outcomes in output
--host=HOST- Specify a remote host which is tested.
--input=name1=value1 name2=value2- Specify one or more inputs directly on the command line to the shell, as --input NAME=VALUE. Accepts single-quoted YAML and JSON structures.
--input-file=one two three- Load one or more input files, a YAML file with values for the shell to use
--insecure,--no-insecure- Disable SSL verification on select targets.
--inspect,--no-inspect- Use verbose/debugging output for resources.
-i,--key-files=one two three- Login key or certificate file for a remote scan.
--password=PASSWORD- Login password for a remote scan, if required.
--path=PATH- Login path to use when connecting to the target (WinRM).
--podman-url=PODMAN_URL- Provides the path to the Podman API endpoint. Defaults to unix:///run/user/$UID/podman/podman.sock for rootless container, unix:///run/podman/podman.sock for rootful container (for this you need to execute inspec as root user).
-p,--port=N- Specify the login port for a remote scan.
--proxy-command=PROXY_COMMAND- Specifies the command to use to connect to the server.
--reporter=one two:/output/file/path- Enable one or more output reporters: cli, documentation, html, progress, json, json-min, json-rspec, junit
--self-signed,--no-self-signed- Allow remote scans with self-signed certificates (WinRM).
--shell,--no-shell- Run scans in a subshell. Only activates on Unix.
--shell-command=SHELL_COMMAND- Specify a particular shell to use.
--shell-options=SHELL_OPTIONS- Additional shell options.
--ssh-config-file=one two three- A list of paths to the ssh config file, e.g ~/.ssh/config or /etc/ssh/ssh_config.
--ssl,--no-ssl- Use SSL for transport layer encryption (WinRM).
--ssl-peer-fingerprint=SSL_PEER_FINGERPRINT- Specify SSL peer fingerprint in place of certificates for SSL authentication (WinRM).
--sudo,--no-sudo- Run scans with sudo. Only activates on Unix and non-root user.
--sudo-command=SUDO_COMMAND- Alternate command for sudo.
--sudo-options=SUDO_OPTIONS- Additional sudo options for a remote scan.
--sudo-password=SUDO_PASSWORD- Specify a sudo password, if it is required.
-t,--target=TARGET- Simple targeting option using URIs, e.g. ssh://user:pass@host:port
--target-id=TARGET_ID- Provide an ID which will be included on reports - deprecated
--user=USER- The login user for a remote scan.
--winrm-basic-auth-only,--no-winrm-basic-auth-only- Whether to use basic authentication, defaults to false (WinRM).
--winrm-disable-sspi,--no-winrm-disable-sspi- Whether to use disable sspi authentication, defaults to false (WinRM).
--winrm-shell-type=WINRM_SHELL_TYPE- Specify which shell type to use (powershell, elevated, or cmd), which defaults to powershell (WinRM).
--winrm-transport=WINRM_TRANSPORT- Specify which transport to use, defaults to negotiate (WinRM).
supermarket
Supermarket commands
Syntax
This subcommand has the following syntax:
inspec supermarket SUBCOMMAND ...
vendor
Download all dependencies and generate a lockfile in a vendor directory
Syntax
This subcommand has the following syntax:
inspec vendor PATH
Options
This subcommand has the following additional options:
--overwrite,--no-overwrite- Overwrite existing vendored dependencies and lockfile.
version
Prints the version of this tool.
Syntax
This subcommand has the following syntax:
inspec version
Options
This subcommand has the following additional options:
--format=FORMAT