Installation

Register cnspec

This page provides details on registering cnspec with Mondoo Platform.

If you install cnspec on an asset using a system package instead of Mondoo's automated installation script, you must register the asset manually.

  1. Navigate to the region, organization, and space where you want to see the new asset's scan results.

  2. In the left navigation, under Integrations, select Add New Integration.

  3. Select your operating system and copy the registration token.

  4. Open a terminal and run this command:

    Register cnspec
    cnspec login --token "<PASTE_YOUR_TOKEN_HERE>"

    This command uses the token to create a service account that lets cnspec report results to Mondoo Platform.

  • Windows: cnspec login --token "<PASTE_YOUR_TOKEN_HERE>" --config "C:\ProgramData\Mondoo\mondoo.yml"
  • Linux: cnspec login --token "<PASTE_YOUR_TOKEN_HERE>" --config "/etc/opt/mondoo/mondoo.yml" Communication with Mondoo Platform is encrypted using HTTPS. The payload is signed to ensure it has not been tampered with.

Validate registration

The cnspec status command validates cnspec registration and ensures that communication with Mondoo Platform is successful.

Unregistered cnspec
cnspec status
 loaded configuration from /Users/stella/.config/mondoo/mondoo.yml using source default
 Platform:		macos
 Version:		26.1
 Hostname:		stella.home
 IP:			172.16.1.94
 Time:			2025-11-25T17:55:43-08:00
 Version:		12.11.0 (API Version: 12)
 Latest Version:	12.11.0
 Providers URL:	https://releases.mondoo.com/providers
 Installed Providers:	core | os | mock
 API ConnectionConfig:	https://us.api.mondoo.com
 API Status:		SERVING
 API Time:		2025-11-26T01:55:43Z
 API Version:		12
x client is not registered
Correctly registered client
cnspec status
 loaded configuration from /Users/mwezi/.config/mondoo/mondoo.yml using source default
 Platform:		macos
 Version:		26.1
 Hostname:		mwezi.home
 IP:			192.168.254.21
 Time:			2025-11-25T17:58:10-08:00
 Version:		12.11.0 (API Version: 12)
 Latest Version:	12.11.0
 Providers URL:	https://releases.mondoo.com/providers
 Installed Providers:	core | os | mock
 API ConnectionConfig:	https://us.api.mondoo.com
 API Status:		SERVING
 API Time:		2025-11-26T01:58:10Z
 API Version:		12
 Owner:		//captain.api.mondoo.app/spaces/lunalectric-team-workstations
 Client:		//agents.api.mondoo.app/spaces/lunalectric-team-workstations/agents/2SARlZgQnFLAzj7jfiS1Fx2HBz8
 Service Account:      //agents.api.mondoo.app/spaces/lunalectric-team-workstations/serviceaccounts/2bMtksUk9EjrI5MC3tTf6UmhNC2
 client is registered
 client authenticated successfully
Invalid cnspec registration
cnspec status
 loaded configuration from /Users/cosmo/.config/mondoo/mondoo.yml using source default
 Platform:		macos
 Version:		26.1
 Hostname:		cosmo.home
 IP:			192.168.254.21
 Time:			2025-11-25T17:58:10-08:00
 Version:		12.11.0 (API Version: 12)
 Latest Version:	12.11.0
 Providers URL:	https://releases.mondoo.com/providers
 Installed Providers:	 core | mock | os
 API ConnectionConfig:	https://api.edge.mondoo.com
 API Status:		SERVING
 API Time:		2025-11-26T01:58:10Z
 API Version:		12
 Owner:		//captain.api.mondoo.app/spaces/lunalectric-team-workstations
 Client:		//agents.api.mondoo.app/spaces/lunalectric-team-workstations/agents/2SARlZgQnFLAzj7jfiS1Fx2HBz8
 Service Account:      //agents.api.mondoo.app/spaces/lunalectric-team-workstations/serviceaccounts/2bMtksUk9EjrI5MC3tTf6UmhNC2
 client is registered
x could not connect to mondoo platform error="rpc error: code = Unauthenticated desc = request permission unauthenticated"permission unauthenticated"
No current system time (clock skew detected)
cnspec status
 loaded configuration from /Users/cosmo/.config/mondoo/mondoo.yml using source default
 Platform:		macos
 Version:		26.1
 Hostname:		tsuki.home
 IP:			192.168.254.21
 Time:			2025-11-23T12:07:41-08:00
 Version:		12.11.0 (API Version: 12)
 Latest Version:	12.11.0
 Providers URL:	https://releases.mondoo.com/providers
 Installed Providers:	 core | mock | os
 API ConnectionConfig:	https://api.edge.mondoo.com
 API Status:		SERVING
 API Time:		2025-11-23T20:07:42Z
 API Version:		12
 Owner:		//captain.api.mondoo.app/spaces/lunalectric-team-workstations
 Client:		//agents.api.mondoo.app/spaces/lunalectric-team-workstations/agents/2SARlZgQnFLAzj7jfiS1Fx2HBz8
 Service Account:      //agents.api.mondoo.app/spaces/lunalectric-team-workstations/serviceaccounts/2bMtksUk9EjrI5MC3tTf6UmhNC2
 client is registered
 client authenticated successfully
! possible clock skew detected: 72h0m6.277868s

Specify a proxy server for communication with Mondoo

You can specify a proxy server for communication between cnspec and Mondoo Platform. This is useful if your default system proxy restricts communication, or if you need to monitor different types of traffic.

  1. Find the Mondoo configuration file: /etc/opt/mondoo/mondoo.yml.

  2. Add this line to mondoo.yml:

    api_proxy: https://1.1.1.1:8080

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