Mastering VirusTotal CLI: A Complete Guide
VirusTotal CLI (vt-cli) is a powerful tool for security professionals and DevOps engineers. It provides access to VirusTotal's scanning and intelligence capabilities directly from the command line. With vt-cli, you can analyze files, URLs, domains, and IPs to detect malicious activities without leaving your terminal.
In this guide, we’ll cover how to install, use, and integrate vt-cli into your workflows.
What is VirusTotal CLI?
The VirusTotal CLI tool is a command-line interface for the VirusTotal API. It allows users to interact with VirusTotal’s vast database of malware and threat intelligence. Key benefits include:
- Quick Analysis: Scan files, URLs, and IPs effortlessly.
- Automation: Integrate scans into scripts for continuous monitoring.
- Detailed Reports: Retrieve threat intelligence in JSON format.
Installing VirusTotal CLI
To get started with vt-cli, follow these steps:
Prerequisites
- A valid VirusTotal API key (get it by signing up at virustotal.com).
- Python 3.7+ installed (optional for advanced scripts).
Installation
For Linux or macOS:
curl -LO https://github.com/VirusTotal/vt-cli/releases/latest/download/vt-cli-Linux.zip
unzip vt-cli-Linux.zip
sudo mv vt /usr/local/bin/
For Windows:
- Download the latest
.zipfrom the GitHub releases page. - Extract and add the executable to your PATH.
Verify installation by running:
vt --version
Configuration
Set up your API key:
vt init
Follow the prompt to input your API key.
Common vt-cli Commands
Once installed, you can start using vt-cli for a variety of tasks. Below are some commonly used commands:
1. File Scanning
To scan a file for malware:
vt scan file <file_path>
After uploading, vt-cli provides a report URL.
2. URL Scanning
To scan a URL for threats:
vt scan url <url>
Example:
vt scan url https://example.com
3. Domain Information
Query information about a domain:
vt domain <domain_name>
For example:
vt domain google.com
This retrieves information such as WHOIS data, subdomains, and threat scores.
4. IP Address Analysis
Analyze an IP for malicious activities:
vt ip <ip_address>
Example:
vt ip 8.8.8.8
5. Retrieve Scan Reports
To get detailed scan results:
vt report <resource_id>
Replace <resource_id> with the file hash, URL, domain, or IP you scanned.
Automating VirusTotal Scans
One of the strengths of vt-cli is automation. Here's an example Bash script to batch-scan files in a directory:
#!/bin/bash
API_KEY="your_api_key_here"
for file in /path/to/files/*; do
echo "Scanning $file"
vt scan file "$file" --api-key="$API_KEY"
done
This automates malware checks for multiple files.
Integration with DevOps Pipelines
Use Case: CI/CD Pipeline
Add vt-cli to your CI/CD pipeline to scan build artifacts. For example, in a Jenkins pipeline:
pipeline {
stages {
stage('Scan Artifacts') {
steps {
sh 'vt scan file build/output.jar'
}
}
}
}
Use Case: Incident Response
Pair vt-cli with Akmatori to accelerate root cause analysis during incidents. Akmatori’s predictive AI identifies potential system failures before they happen, while vt-cli ensures uploaded files and URLs are secure.
Why Use VirusTotal CLI?
vt-cli is invaluable for:
- Security Engineers: Quickly validate suspicious files.
- DevOps Teams: Add an extra layer of security to pipelines.
- SREs: Ensure incident response workflows include threat intelligence.
Supercharge Your Cybersecurity with Akmatori
Take your security workflows to the next level. Use Akmatori to predict failures, accelerate root cause analysis, and improve system reliability. Combining Akmatori with VirusTotal CLI ensures your systems are both reliable and secure.
Conclusion
VirusTotal CLI is a must-have tool for cybersecurity and DevOps professionals. It streamlines threat analysis, integrates seamlessly into workflows, and provides actionable intelligence.
Start using vt-cli today and enhance your threat detection processes. For even better incident response, explore Akmatori to predict and prevent system failures.