https://github.com/censys/cencli
Command line interface for interacting with Censys
https://github.com/censys/cencli
censys censys-api
Last synced: about 2 months ago
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Command line interface for interacting with Censys
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/censys/cencli
- Owner: censys
- License: apache-2.0
- Created: 2025-10-09T18:18:50.000Z (8 months ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2026-04-23T18:52:03.000Z (about 2 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2026-04-23T20:27:56.567Z (about 2 months ago)
- Topics: censys, censys-api
- Language: Go
- Homepage: https://censys.com
- Size: 11.2 MB
- Stars: 23
- Watchers: 0
- Forks: 2
- Open Issues: 1
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
- Codeowners: .github/CODEOWNERS
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
# Censys CLI
`cencli` brings the authority of internet intelligence to your terminal. Analyze assets, perform queries, and hunt threats, all from the command line.
The Censys CLI is available for free and paid users of the Censys Platform, with support for macOS, Linux, and Windows.
## Quick Start
Make sure you have `cencli` [installed](#installation) and it is on your `$PATH`.
1. Run this command and follow the prompts to add your Censys Platform personal access token:
```bash
$ censys config auth add
```
2. (Optional) Run this command and follow the prompts to add your Censys Platform organization ID:
```bash
$ censys config org-id add
```
3. That's it! You can now perform asset lookups, searches, and more with the `censys` command.
```bash
$ censys view 8.8.8.8
```
## Installation
This section describes how to get `cencli` on your system.
### Homebrew
macOS and Linux users can install `cencli` using [Homebrew](https://brew.sh/):
```bash
$ brew install censys/tap/cencli
```
At the end of the installation process, `zsh` and `bash` completion scripts will be automatically generated and linked to your shell environment.
> [!WARNING]
> Do NOT try to run `brew install censys`. This is a legacy formula that is no longer maintained and in no way affiliated with `cencli`.
For Windows users (and those who prefer not to use Homebrew), you will need to use different methods, which are described below.
### Downloading the Binary
Stable binaries for different platforms (macOS/Linux/Windows) and architectures (amd64/arm64) are available for download on the [releases page](https://github.com/censys/cencli/releases). After you've downloaded and extracted the binary, make sure you add it to your `$PATH`.
> [!WARNING]
> For macOS users, your system may complain about the executable being untrusted after you try to run it. To bypass this, you can run `xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /path/to/binary` to remove the quarantine flag. If you prefer to do this through the GUI, go to `Settings > Privacy & Security` and allow the executable to be run.
### Go Install
If you have Go 1.25+ installed, you can install `cencli` using the following command:
```bash
$ go install github.com/censys/cencli/cmd/cencli@latest
# make sure to rename the executable to 'censys'
$ mv "$(go env GOPATH)/bin/cencli" "$(go env GOPATH)/bin/censys"
```
### Build from source
Ensure you have Go 1.25+ installed, and run the following commands:
```bash
$ git clone https://github.com/censys/cencli.git
$ cd cencli
$ make censys # builds the executable to ./bin/censys
$ export PATH=$PATH:$(pwd)/bin
$ censys --help
```
## Usage
`cencli` supports various commands for accessing our platform. Run `censys --help` to see all available commands.
### Configuration
The `config` command allows you to manage your personal access tokens and organization IDs. See the [config command docs](./docs/commands/CONFIG.md) for more details.
### View
The `view` command allows you to fetch information about a particular host, certificate, or web property asset at a particular point in time. See the [view command docs](./docs/commands/VIEW.md) for more details.
You can also use `-O short` (or `--output-format short`) to render output using templates, which can be customized. See the [templating documentation](./docs/commands/VIEW.md#templates) for more details.
### Search
The `search` command allows you to perform Censys Platform searches, either globally or within a collection. See the [search command docs](./docs/commands/SEARCH.md) for more details.
### Aggregate
The `aggregate` command allows you to perform aggregate queries, either globally or within a collection. See the [aggregate command docs](./docs/commands/AGGREGATE.md) for more details.
### Censeye
The `censeye` command allows you to perform a Censeye scan on a host. See the [censeye command docs](./docs/commands/CENSEYE.md) for more details.
### History
This is a WIP. See the [history command docs](./docs/commands/HISTORY.md) for more details.
### Other Commands
- `$ censys org`: manage and view organization details. See the [org command docs](./docs/commands/ORG.md) for more details.
- `$ censys credits`: display credit details for your free user Censys account. See the [credits command docs](./docs/commands/CREDITS.md) for more details.
- `$ censys completion `: generates shell completion scripts
- `$ censys version`: prints version information
## License
This project is licensed under the Apache License 2.0.