Chapter 2. Using the roxctl CLI
2.1. Prerequisites
You have configured the
ROX_ENDPOINT
environment variable using the following command:$ export ROX_ENDPOINT=<host:port> 1
- 1
- The host and port information that you want to store in the
ROX_ENDPOINT
environment variable.
2.2. Getting authentication information
The following procedure describes how to use the roxctl central whoami
command to retrieve information about your authentication status and user profile in Central. The example output illustrates the data you can expect to see, including user roles, access permissions, and various administrative functions. This step allows you to review your access and roles within Central.
Procedure
Run the following command to get information about your current authentication status and user information in Central:
$ roxctl central whoami
Example output
UserID: <redacted> User name: <redacted> Roles: APIToken creator, Admin, Analyst, Continuous Integration, Network Graph Viewer, None, Sensor Creator, Vulnerability Management Approver, Vulnerability Management Requester, Vulnerability Manager, Vulnerability Report Creator Access: rw Access rw Administration rw Alert rw CVE rw Cluster rw Compliance rw Deployment rw DeploymentExtension rw Detection rw Image rw Integration rw K8sRole rw K8sRoleBinding rw K8sSubject rw Namespace rw NetworkGraph rw NetworkPolicy rw Node rw Secret rw ServiceAccount rw VulnerabilityManagementApprovals rw VulnerabilityManagementRequests rw WatchedImage rw WorkflowAdministration
Review the output to ensure that the authentication and user details are as expected.
2.3. Authenticating by using the roxctl CLI
For authentication, you can use an API token, your administrator password, or the roxctl central login
command.
Follow these guidelines for the effective use of API tokens:
- Use an API token in a production environment with continuous integration (CI). Each token is assigned specific access permissions, providing control over the actions it can perform. In addition, API tokens do not require interactive processes, such as browser-based logins, making them ideal for automated processes. These tokens have a time-to-live (TTL) value of 1 year, providing a longer validity period for seamless integration and operational efficiency.
- Use your administrator password only for testing purposes. Do not use it in the production environment.
-
Use the
roxctl central login
command only for interactive, local uses.
2.3.1. Creating an API token
Procedure
-
In the RHACS portal, go to Platform Configuration
Integrations. - Scroll to the Authentication Tokens category, and then click API Token.
- Click Generate Token.
- Enter a name for the token and select a role that provides the required level of access (for example, Continuous Integration or Sensor Creator).
Click Generate.
ImportantCopy the generated token and securely store it. You will not be able to view it again.
2.3.2. Exporting and saving the API token
Procedure
After you have generated the authentication token, export it as the
ROX_API_TOKEN
variable by entering the following command:$ export ROX_API_TOKEN=<api_token>
(Optional): You can also save the token in a file and use it with the
--token-file
option by entering the following command:$ roxctl central debug dump --token-file <token_file>
Note the following guidelines:
-
You cannot use both the
-password
(-p
) and the--token-file
options simultaneously. -
If you have already set the
ROX_API_TOKEN
variable, and specify the--token-file
option, theroxctl
CLI uses the specified token file for authentication. -
If you have already set the
ROX_API_TOKEN
variable, and specify the--password
option, theroxctl
CLI uses the specified password for authentication.
2.3.3. Using an authentication provider to authenticate with roxctl
You can configure an authentication provider in Central and initiate the login process with the roxctl
CLI. Set the ROX_ENDPOINT
variable, initiate the login process with the roxctl central login
command, select the authentication provider in a browser window, and retrieve the token information from the roxctl
CLI as described in the following procedure.
Prerequisite
- You selected an authentication provider of your choice, such as OpenID Connect (OIDC) with fragment or query mode.
Procedure
Run the following command to set the
ROX_ENDPOINT
variable to Central hostname and port:export ROX_ENDPOINT=<central_hostname:port>
Run the following command to initiate the login process to Central:
$ roxctl central login
-
Within the
roxctl
CLI, a URL is printed as output and you are redirected to a browser window where you can select the authentication provider you want to use. Log in with your authentication provider.
After you have successfully logged in, the browser window indicates that authentication was successful and you can close the browser window.
The
roxctl
CLI displays your token information including details such as the access token, the expiration time of the access token, the refresh token if one has been issued, and notification that these values are stored locally.Example output
Please complete the authorization flow in the browser with an auth provider of your choice. If no browser window opens, please click on the following URL: http://127.0.0.1:xxxxx/login INFO: Received the following after the authorization flow from Central: INFO: Access token: <redacted> 1 INFO: Access token expiration: 2023-04-19 13:58:43 +0000 UTC 2 INFO: Refresh token: <redacted> 3 INFO: Storing these values under $HOME/.roxctl/login… 4
ImportantEnsure that you set the environment to determine the directory where the configuration is stored. By default, the configuration is stored in the
$HOME/.roxctl/roxctl-config
directory.-
If you set the
$ROX_CONFIG_DIR
environment variable, the configuration is stored in the$ROX_CONFIG_DIR/roxctl-config
directory. This option has the highest priority. -
If you set the
$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR
environment variable and the$ROX_CONFIG_DIR
variable is not set, the configuration is stored in the$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR /roxctl-config
directory. -
If you do not set the
$ROX_CONFIG_DIR
or$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR
environment variable, the configuration is stored in the$HOME/.roxctl/roxctl-config
directory.
-
If you set the
2.4. Configuring and using the roxctl CLI in RHACS Cloud Service
Procedure
Export the
ROX_API_TOKEN
by running the following command:$ export ROX_API_TOKEN=<api_token>
Export the
ROX_ENDPOINT
by running the following command:$ export ROX_ENDPOINT=<address>:<port_number>
-
You can use the
--help
option to get more information about the commands. -
In Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security Cloud Service (RHACS Cloud Service), when using
roxctl
commands that require the Central address, use the Central instance address as displayed in the Instance Details section of the Red Hat Hybrid Cloud Console. For example, useacs-ABCD12345.acs.rhcloud.com
instead ofacs-data-ABCD12345.acs.rhcloud.com
.