Bulk asset delete operations

Acknowledgment

This guide is an updated version of the blog post originally written by dealy. It has been adjusted to match current interfaces and user workflow.

Use the “Filtered Asset Search” screen to build a query that can define a range of assets which aren’t represented by an existing site or asset group. You can execute the bulk asset delete operation on the resulting list.

Step 1: Create an Asset Group

In your Security Console, click the Asset Filter icon.

Create an asset group

The “Filtered Asset Search” screen will display. Use any desired filter criteria to query for the assets you need to delete. The following example returns a list of all assets running the Red Hat operating system.

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See Performing filtered asset searches for more information about building these types of queries.

Click the Create Asset Group button. The screen will display some additional fields. Before saving, complete the following:

  • Specify the group type as dynamic or static.
  • Give the group a recognizable name.
  • Provide the group with a description so its purpose is known.
  • If necessary, specify what users will have access to the group.

Click Save when finished.

Step 2: Bulk Delete Assets

When you save your asset group, the Security Console will automatically display the “Asset Groups” table. Click your asset group on this screen to open it.

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Asset groups are also viewable on the Home tab.

The Security Console will display the asset group’s detail page. Browse to the “Assets” table on this screen to see a list of all included assets that you are about to delete.

Using the master checkbox located at the column header, select all assets in the group. Click the Delete Assets button to execute the bulk deletion operation.

This will remove the selected assets from the Security Console.

Additional Use Cases

Asset filtering is particularly useful when you need to remove inactive assets. Use the “last scan date” filter to create a group of assets that have not been scanned for a time period that you specify, and target them for deletion.