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Supported Operating Systems

OSMinimum VersionArchitectureNotes
macOS12 (Monterey)+x64, ARM64 (Apple Silicon)Full support including Guard and Trap
Ubuntu20.04 LTS+x64, ARM64Recommended Linux distribution
Debian11 (Bullseye)+x64, ARM64Full support
CentOS / RHEL8+x64SELinux compatible
Windows10 (build 1903)+x64Guard requires Administrator

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System Requirements

Node.js >= 20 is required. Panguard uses modern JavaScript features (top-level await, native fetch) that require Node.js 20 or later.Check your version:
node --version
Install or update via nvm:
nvm install 20
nvm use 20
Or via your package manager:
# macOS
brew install node@20

# Ubuntu/Debian
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

# Windows (winget)
winget install OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS
Different Panguard modules have different privilege requirements:
ModuleRoot/Admin RequiredReason
panguard scanNoReads files with user permissions
panguard guardYesMonitors system logs, manages firewall rules
panguard trapYesBinds to privileged ports (< 1024)
panguard chatNoSends notifications over HTTPS
panguard reportNoGenerates reports from existing data
panguard managerNoRuns as a regular HTTP server
Run privileged modules with sudo:
sudo panguard guard start
sudo panguard trap start
ComponentApproximate Size
Panguard CLI + core~50 MB
Sigma rules (3,000+)~15 MB
YARA rules (900+)~8 MB
Threat Cloud database (self-hosted)100 MB — 10 GB (depends on data)
Guard logs + dataGrows over time, recommend 1 GB minimum
Panguard requires outbound HTTPS access to:
DestinationPurpose
auth.panguard.aiAuthentication and subscription management
tc.panguard.aiThreat Cloud intelligence feeds
registry.npmjs.orgPackage installation and updates
api.anthropic.comAI analysis (if using Anthropic)
api.openai.comAI analysis (if using OpenAI)
localhost:11434Ollama local AI (if configured)
All connections can optionally go through an HTTP proxy via the HTTPS_PROXY environment variable.

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How to Update

Update Panguard to the latest version: 
npm update -g panguard
After updating, restart any running services: 
# Restart Guard
sudo panguard guard stop
sudo panguard guard start

# Restart Chat
panguard chat stop
panguard chat start
Panguard checks for updates automatically and displays a notification in the CLI when a new version is available. Detection rules (Sigma + YARA) update independently from the CLI tool.

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How to Uninstall

To completely remove Panguard from your system: 
# 1. Stop all running services
sudo panguard guard stop
panguard chat stop

# 2. Remove the system service (if installed)
sudo panguard guard uninstall-service

# 3. Uninstall the npm package
npm uninstall -g panguard

# 4. Remove data directories
rm -rf ~/.panguard
rm -rf ~/.panguard-guard
rm -rf ~/.panguard-chat

# 5. Remove credentials
rm -f ~/.panguard/credentials.json

# 6. Remove firewall rules added by Guard
# macOS:
sudo pfctl -F all
# Linux:
sudo iptables -F PANGUARD 2>/dev/null
sudo iptables -X PANGUARD 2>/dev/null
Uninstalling removes all local data including scan history, threat logs, and configuration. Export your data first with panguard report generate if you need historical records.

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Common Error Messages

Your Node.js version is too old. Update to Node.js 20+:
nvm install 20 && nvm use 20
You are running a privileged module without root access:
sudo panguard guard start
For non-root setups, see the system service guide.
Panguard is not installed globally, or your PATH does not include the npm global bin directory:
npm install -g panguard
# Or check your PATH:
npm config get prefix
The target service is not running or is unreachable. Check:
  • Is the service started? (panguard status)
  • Is the port correct? (check environment variables)
  • Is a firewall blocking the connection?