# capa usage

See `capa -h` for all supported arguments and usage examples.

## Ways to consume capa output

| Method | Output / interface | Typical use |
|--------|--------------------|-------------|
| **CLI** | Text (default, `-v`, `-vv`), JSON (`-j`), or other formats | Scripting, CI, one-off analysis |
| [**IDA Pro**](https://github.com/mandiant/capa/tree/master/capa/ida/plugin) | capa Explorer plugin inside IDA | Interactive analysis with jump-to-address |
| [**Ghidra**](https://github.com/mandiant/capa/tree/master/capa/ghidra/plugin) | capa Explorer plugin inside Ghidra | Interactive analysis with Ghidra integration |
| [**Binary Ninja**](https://github.com/mandiant/capa/tree/master/capa/features/extractors/binja) | capa run using Binary Ninja as the analysis backend | Interactive analysis with Binary Ninja integration |
| [**Dynamic (Sandbox)**](https://www.mandiant.com/resources/blog/dynamic-capa-executable-behavior-cape-sandbox) | capa run on dynamic sandbox report (CAPE, VMRay, etc.) | Dynamic analysis of sandbox output |
| [**Web (capa Explorer)**](https://mandiant.github.io/capa/explorer/) | Web UI (upload JSON or load from URL) | Sharing results, viewing from VirusTotal or similar |

## Default vs verbose output

By default, capa shows only *top-level* rule matches: capabilities that are not already implied by another displayed rule. For example, if a rule "persist via Run registry key" matches and it *contains* a match for "set registry value", the default output lists only "persist via Run registry key". This keeps the default output short while still reflecting all detected capabilities at the top level. Use **`-v`** to see all rule matches, including nested ones. Use **`-vv`** for an even more detailed view that shows how each rule matched.

## tips and tricks

### only run selected rules
Use the `-t` option to run rules with the given metadata value (see the rule fields `rule.meta.*`).
For example, `capa -t william.ballenthin@mandiant.com` runs rules that reference Willi's email address (probably as the author), or
`capa -t communication` runs rules with the namespace `communication`.

### only analyze selected functions
Use the `--restrict-to-functions` option to extract capabilities from only a selected set of functions. This is useful for analyzing 
large functions and figuring out their capabilities and their address of occurrence; for example: PEB access, RC4 encryption, etc.

To use this, you can copy the virtual addresses from your favorite disassembler and pass them to capa as follows:
`capa sample.exe --restrict-to-functions 0x4019C0,0x401CD0`. If you add the `-v` option then capa will extract the interesting parts of a function for you.

### only analyze selected processes
Use the `--restrict-to-processes` option to extract capabilities from only a selected set of processes. This is useful for filtering the noise 
generated from analyzing non-malicious processes that can be reported by some sandboxes, as well as reduce the execution time 
by not analyzing such processes in the first place.

To use this, you can pick the PIDs of the processes you are interested in from the sandbox-generated process tree (or from the sandbox-reported malware PID) 
and pass that to capa as follows: `capa report.log --restrict-to-processes 3888,3214,4299`. If you add the `-v` option then capa will tell you 
which threads perform what actions (encrypt/decrypt data, initiate a connection, etc.).

### IDA Pro plugin: capa explorer
Please check out the [capa explorer documentation](/capa/ida/plugin/README.md).

### save time by reusing .viv files
Set the environment variable `CAPA_SAVE_WORKSPACE` to instruct the underlying analysis engine to 
cache its intermediate results to the file system. For example, vivisect will create `.viv` files.
Subsequently, capa may run faster when reprocessing the same input file.
This is particularly useful during rule development as you repeatedly test a rule against a known sample.
