Cytool for Mac

In addition to being available for Windows and Linux endpoints, Cytool is also available for Mac endpoints.

Cytool is a command-line interface that is integrated into the Cortex XDR agent that enables you to query and manage both basic and advanced functions of the agent. Unless stated otherwise, changes you make using Cytool take effect when the agent receives the next heartbeat communication (every five minutes) from Cortex XDR.

On Mac endpoints, access Cytool as a super user using a terminal. Cytool is located in the /Library/Application Support/PaloAltoNetworks/Traps/bin directory on the endpoint.

The following table displays the Cytool options available on Mac endpoints. For the Cytool admin commands that require a password, the password is the same as is defined as the Uninstall password.

Note

Since Cortex XDR agent 7.6, the pmd process includes and replaces the trapsd process.

Command Option	Description
cert_enforcement	Perform Certificate enforcement related operations. Usage: cytool cert_enforcement <operation> Where <operation> is one of the following: query —Displays current enforcement status disable —Forcibly disables enforcement policy—Sets enforcement by policy import <certificate file path>—Imports a proprietary certificate in PEM format as root CA import clear—Clears all custom root CA certificates.
checkin	Initiate check-in to the server. Usage: sudo ./cytool checkin To verify the checkin, view the check-in time on the Cortex XDR agent console.
connectivity_test	Perform a connectivity test to Cortex XDR servers. Usage: cytool connectivity_test [request_count]
dump	Enable or disable dump generation or restore policy settings. Traps-Mac:bin Traps$ sudo ./cytool dump enable Traps-Mac:bin Traps$ sudo ./cytool dump disable Traps-Mac:bin Traps$ sudo ./cytool dump restore
endpoint_tags	Use Endpoint Tags to identify groups of endpoints. Usage: sudo ./cytool endpoint_tags <action> where <action> can be: add—Adds tags to the endpoint tags. remove—Removes the given tags from the list of endpoint tags. list—Displays the available endpoint tags. Note Tags should be passed as one string separated by comas. For example: Traps-Mac:bin Traps$ sudo ./cytool endpoint_tags add "tag1[,tag2,...,tagN]" Traps-Mac:bin Traps$ sudo ./cytool endpoint_tags remove "tag1[,tag2,...,tagN]" Traps-Mac:bin Traps$ sudo ./cytool endpoint_tags list
enum	Enumerate protected processes. Usage: sudo ./cytool enum For example: Traps-Mac:bin Traps$ sudo ./cytool enum List of protected processes: Process name Process ID User Photos 2047 User1 Mail 2099 User2 Note If you change the action mode for protected processes in the Exploit Security Profile in Cortex XDR, you must restart the protected processes for the security policy to be enforced on the processes and its forked processes, and only then you will see them on this list.
-h --help	Traps-Mac:bin Traps$ sudo ./cytool Usage: cytool<options> cytool - Support tool Options: -h --help Display help information. enum List processes protected by Cortex XDR. startup query List startup status for Cortex XDR agent and daemons. startup <enable | disable> <process_name | all> Enable/Disable Cortex XDR agent and daemons after reboot. runtime query List runtime status for agent, daemons, and kernel extensions. runtime <start | stop> <process_name | all> Start/Stop Cortex XDR agent, daemons, and kernel extensions immediately. persist list Display persistent databases. persist export <db_name | db_path> Export databases in JSON format. persist import <db_name | db_path> <file_name> Import data into the database from the given JSON file. persist print <db_name | db_path> [csv] Print database to the command prompt. log <log_level> <process_name | all> Set log level for the desired process. log collect Generate support file archive. wakeup Wake up from OS incompatibility state. dump <enable | disable | restore> Enable/Disable dump generation or restore policy settings. checkin Update Cortex XDR from server. opswat <installed | running | protected | version> Check Cortex XDR Agent status and version.
import suex	Import pre-downloaded content or local support exceptions. Used for solving specific problems with a support representative.
isolate	Usage: cytool isolate stop Release endpoint from network isolation.
log	Log set_level - Set the log level for the desired process. Usage: sudo ./cytool log set_level <log_level> <components> where: <log_level> is an integer value corresponding to the log level: 0—Disable logging 1—Fatal 2—Critical 3—Error 4—Warning 5—Notice 6—Information 7—Debug 8—Trace <components> is all or one or more of the following agent component: authorized, pmd, cortex xdr, kproc-ctrl. For example: Traps-Mac:bin Traps$ sudo ./cytool log set_level 2 all log collect Use the sudo ./cytool log collect command to generate a support file archive of all logs in a TGZ file. On Mac endpoints running OS X 10.10 and OSX 10.11, Cytool outputs the logs to the /var/log/traps directory. On Mac endpoints running macOS 10.12 and later, you can view logs from the Console application.
opswat	Check the Cortex XDR agent status and version. Usage: sudo ./cytool opswat <parameter> where <parameter> is: version—Displays the version of the agent. installed—Displays the agent installation status: true if the com.paloaltonetworks.pkg.cortx xdr package is installed. false if the package is not installed. You must also supply the agent supervisor password to view the status. running—Displays the running status of agent daemons: true if running or false if not running. protected—Displays the applied policy status: true if applied or false if not applied. Traps-Mac:bin Traps$ sudo ./cytool opswat version 8.1.0.1042 Traps-Mac:bin Traps$ sudo ./cytool opswat installed Password: true Traps-Mac:bin Traps$ sudo ./cytool opswat running true Traps-Mac:bin Traps$ sudo ./cytool opswat protected true
persist	The Cortex XDR agent stores policy and security event information such as the list of trusted signers, local verdicts, and one-time actions in local databases on the endpoint. To troubleshoot policy issues and security events, you can use cytool persist operations to import, export, and view information stored in the local database. Usage: sudo ./cytool persist <action> where <action>: list—List the local databases on the endpoint. export [<database name> | <databasepath>]—Export database table to a file in the /Library/Application Support/PaloAltoNetworks/Traps/bin/ directory. import [<database name> | <databasepath>] <file name>—Add records in a JSON file to the database. print <database name> | <databasepath>—Print the database, in comma-separated values (CSV) format, to the command prompt. To view a list of all local databases, use the cytool persist list command.
queryall	The cytool queryall command displays a list of imported certificates, for troubleshooting purposes.
reconnect	Try reconnecting to the server if communication has been disabled, or force registration with a new distribution_id. Usage: cytool reconnect—Reconnects the Cortex XDR agent to the management application on the server. cytool reconnect [force <distribution_id>] Note The distribution_id must belong to an installation package for the same operating system, and for the same or an earlier agent version than the one currently installed.
runtime	Stop or start product components. Usage: sudo ./cytool runtime <action> <component> where: <action>—Change startup runtime action for an agent component. Options are: start, stop, query. The query option displays the startup status for each component. <component>—Target component for which to set the runtime action, or all components if no components are specified. To change the runtime action for multiple components, list them with spaces separating each component. Options are: cortex xdr, authorized, pmd, kproc-ctrl For example: Traps-Mac:bin Traps$ sudo ./cytool runtime query Name PID User Status Command cortex xdr 1055 User1 Running /Library/Application Support/PaloAltoNetworks/Traps/bin/cortex xdr.app/Contents/MacOS/cortex xdr authorized 927 _traps_panw Running /Library/Application Support/PaloAltoNetworks/Traps/bin/authorized pmd 909 root Running /Library/Application Support/PaloAltoNetworks/Traps/bin/pmd kproc-ctrl 159 root Loaded com.paloaltonetworks.driver.kproc-ctrl Traps-Mac:bin Traps$ sudo ./cytool runtime stop all Name PID User Status Command authorized N/A N/A STOPPED N/A pmd N/A N/A STOPPED N/A cortex xdr N/A N/A STOPPED N/A kproc-ctrl N/A N/A Unloaded N/A Traps-Mac:bin Traps$ sudo ./cytool runtime start all Name PID User Status Command system call failed for command='/usr/bin/su -l Traps -c "/bin/launchctl start cortex xdr.plist"', returned status code=768 authorized 1883 _traps_panw Running /Library/Application Support/PaloAltoNetworks/Traps/bin/authorized pmd 1889 root Running /Library/Application Support/PaloAltoNetworks/Traps/bin/pmd cortex xdr N/A N/A FAILED TO START N/A kproc-ctrl 160 root Loaded com.paloaltonetworks.driver.kproc-ctrl
security_modules	Query, enable, disable or return to policy the Cortex XDR agent anti-tampering protection. Usage: cytool security_modules operation module Where: Operation is one of the following: query — Queries Security Module activity status enable— Enables Security Module disable— Disables Security Module policy— Syncs the Security Module according to cloud-defined policy Module options self_prot | proc_ctrl | event_collection | dlprot | kpep | dlp | all Example: To disable the Cortex XDR agent anti-tampering protection: cytool security_modules disable self_prot
startup	Enable, disable, or query the startup state of Cortex XDR agent components. Usage: sudo ./cytool startup <action> <component> where: <action>—Change startup action for an agent component. Options are: enable, disable, query. The query option displays the startup status for each component. <component>—Target component for which to set the startup action. To change the startup action for multiple components, list them with spaces separating each component. Options are: cortex xdr, authorized, pmd, kproc-ctrl For example: Traps-Mac:bin Traps$ sudo ./cytool startup disable cortex xdr pmd Process name Startup status cortex xdr Disabled authorized Enabled pmd Disabled kproc-ctrl Loaded Traps-Mac:bin Traps$ sudo ./cytool startup enable all Process name Startup status cortex xdr Enabled authorized Enabled pmd Enabled kproc-ctrl Loaded
wakeup	Wake up the endpoint from an OS incompatibility state. Traps-Mac:bin Traps$ sudo ./cytool wakeup SIGTERM caught