Using the command console

If you are a Global Administrator, you can perform certain Security Console operations using the command console. You can see real-time diagnostics and a behind-the-scenes view of the application when you use this tool.

How to access and use the command console

In Nexpose, click the Administration tab in your left menu.
Under Maintenance, Storage and Troubleshooting, click Run next to Troubleshooting. The command console page appears with a field for entering commands.
Enter a command.
Click Execute.

If you are running the Security Console on an Appliance, you can perform all operations using the Appliance’s LCD or through the Security Console Web interface.

Available commands

The following table contains a list of available console commands and their respective descriptions. You can also generate a list of available commands in the console itself by entering and executing the help command. Text in square brackets [] contain optional parameters, as explained in the action descriptions. Text in arrow brackets <> contain variables.

Command	Action
`activate <license-key>`	Activate the application with a license key.
`database diagnostics`	Check the database for inconsistencies, such as partially deleted sites or missing synopsis data, which can affect counts of assets, sites, asset groups, scans, or nodes as displayed in the Web interface.
`[show] diag[nostics]`	Display diagnostic information about the Security Console.
`exit`	Stop the Security Console service.
`garbagecollect`	Start the garbage collector, a Java application that frees up drive space no longer used to store data objects.
`get property []`	View the value assigned to a parameter associated with the Scan Engine. Example: `get property os.version`. The Security Console would return: `os.version=5.1`. If you type get property without a parameter name, the Security Console will list all properties and associated values. You can view and set certain properties, such as the IP socket number, which the application uses for communication between the Security Console and the Scan Engine. Other properties are for system use only; you may view them but not set them.
`heap dump`	“Dump” or list all the data and memory addresses “piled up” by the Java garbage collector. The dump file is saved as heap.hprof in the nsc directory.
`help`	Display all available commands.
`license request from-email-address [mail-relay-server]`	E-mail a request for a new license. The email-address parameter is your address as the requestor. The optional `mail-relay-server` parameter designates an internally accessible mail server to which the license server should connect to send the e-mail. After you execute this command, the application displays a message that the e-mail has been sent. When you receive the license file, store it in the `nsc/licenses` directory without modifying its contents. Licenses have a `.lic` suffix.
`log rotate`	Compress and save the nsc.log file and then create a new log.
`ping <host-address> [<tcp-port>]`	Ping the specified host using an ICNMP ECHO request, ICP ACK packet, and TCP SYN packet. The default TCP port is 80.
`quit`	Stop the Security Console service.
`restart`	Stop the Security Console service and then start it again.
`log list`	List all logging configuration properties.
`log set [<name>] <value>`	Set a logging configuration property to a specified value. Omit the `name` parameter to set all properties to the specified value. Use `log list` to view available property names. Available value parameters are: `OFF`, `ERROR`, `WARN`, `INFO`, `DEBUG`, and `TRACE ALL`.
`log reset [<name>]`	Reset a logging configuration property to its default value. Omit the `name` parameter to reset all properties to their default value. Use `log list` to view available property names.
`log-time-zone list`	List possible time zone options that can be set for logs.
`log-time-zone reset`	Reset the time zone for all log files to the default GMT time zone.
`log-time-zone set [<timezone>]`	Set the time zone for all log files. Use `time zone list` for available time zone options.
`[show] schedule`	Display the currently scheduled jobs for scans, auto-update retriever, temporal risk score updater, and log rotation.
`show host`	Display information about the Security Console host, including its name, address, hardware configuration, and Java Virtual Machine (JVM) version. The command also returns a summary of disk space used by the installation with respect to the database, scans, reports, and backups.
`show licenses`	Display information about all licenses currently in use. Multiple licenses may operate at once.
`show locked accounts`	List all user accounts locked out by the Security Console. The application can lock out a user who attempts too many logons with an incorrect password.
`show mem`	List statistics about memory use.
`[send] support [from-email-address] [mail-relay-server] [message-body]`	Send logs generated by the Security Console and Scan Engine(s) for troubleshooting support. By default, the application sends the request to a log server via HTTPS. Alternatively, you can e-mail the request by specifying a sender's e-mail address or outbound mail relay server. You also can type a brief message with the e-mail request. When you execute the command, the Security Console displays a scrolling list of log data, including scheduled scans, auto-updates, and diagnostics.
`[show] threads`	Display the list of active threads in use.
`traceroute host-address`	Determine the IP address route between your local host and the host name or IP address that you specify in the command. When you execute this command, the Security Console displays a list of IP addresses for all “stops” or devices on the given route.
`unlock account <name>`	Unlock the user account named in the command.
`update engines`	Send pending updates to all defined Scan Engines.
`update now`	Check for and apply updates manually and immediately, instead of waiting for the Security Console to automatically retrieve the next update.
`[ver] version`	Display the current software version, serial number, most recent update, and other information about the Security Console and local Scan Engine. Add “console” to the command to display information about the Security Console only. Add “engines” to the command to display information about the local Scan Engine and all remote Scan Engines paired with the Security Console.
`?`	Display all available commands.
`enable mrc-service on all engines`	Enable the Metasploit Remote Check Service on all suitable Scan Engines.
`disable mrc-service on all engines`	Disable the Metasploit Remote Check Service on all Scan Engines.
`enable mrc-service on engines <engine name>, <engine name> ...`	Enable the Metasploit Remote Check Service on one or more Scan Engines based on a comma separated list of engine names that you specify.
`disable mrc-service on engines <engine name>, <engine name> ...`	Disable the Metasploit Remote Check Service on one or more Scan Engines based on a comma separated list of engine names that you specify.

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