aa-mergeprof

Merge one or more profile files into the default profile directory

$ sudo aa-mergeprof [file1 file2 ...]

$ sudo aa-mergeprof [[-d|--dir]] [/path/to/profiles] [file1 file2 ...]

$ aa-mergeprof [[-h|--help]]

aa-mergeprof [options] {profile_file ... | -i input_file ... -o output_file}

-i <input_file>, --input=<input_file>
    Specifies an input profile file or a directory containing profiles to be merged. This option can be used multiple times.

-o <output_file>, --output=<output_file>
    Specifies the output file where the consolidated profile will be written. Required when using -i.

-d, --debug
    Enables debug mode, providing verbose internal processing information useful for troubleshooting.

-v, --verbose
    Enables verbose output, displaying more details about the merge process and actions taken.

-h, --help
    Displays a brief help message and exits.

--force
    Forces the overwrite of the output file if it already exists, without prompting for confirmation.

--skip-validate
    Skips the validation step of the merged profile, which is normally performed to ensure syntactic correctness.

--policy-dir=<directory>
    Specifies the AppArmor policy directory. Useful for finding includes or context.

--profile-name=<name>
    Assigns a specific name to the resulting merged profile, overriding any inferred names.

--rules-only
    Instructs the command to merge only the rules from input profiles, ignoring declarations or other profile elements.

--append
    Appends the merged content to an existing output profile instead of overwriting it.

--prepend
    Prepends the merged content to an existing output profile instead of overwriting it.

--diff
    Shows a diff-like output, highlighting the changes made during the merge process between input and output.

The aa-mergeprof command is a utility within the AppArmor security framework designed to combine several AppArmor profiles or profile fragments into a single, consolidated policy file. This tool is invaluable for administrators who manage complex security environments, allowing them to unify modular policies or integrate rules from different sources that apply to the same executable. By intelligently merging rules and declarations, aa-mergeprof helps resolve potential conflicts and streamlines the process of creating and deploying comprehensive AppArmor security policies. It takes one or more input profiles and writes the combined result to a specified output file, simplifying profile management and maintenance.

Incorrectly merging AppArmor profiles can lead to unintended security policy weaknesses, potential rule conflicts, or even break application functionality. Users should have a solid understanding of AppArmor profile syntax and the implications of combining rules. Always test merged profiles thoroughly in a non-production environment before deployment. Manual review of complex merges might be necessary to ensure desired security posture.

aa-mergeprof is an integral part of the AppArmor security framework, which originated from Novell/SUSE. Its development stems from the need for robust policy management, especially as AppArmor profiles can become complex and modular. The command was introduced to facilitate the consolidation and maintenance of these profiles, making it easier for administrators to manage and deploy security policies across various applications and system components effectively over time.

apparmor(7), aa-genprof(8), aa-logprof(8), aa-enforce(8), aa-complain(8), aa-disable(8)