---
name: "aa-genprof"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "apparmor"
version: "4.1.8-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/aa-genprof"
---

# aa-genprof(8)

profile generation utility for AppArmor

## NAME

aa-genprof - profile generation utility for AppArmor

## SYNOPSIS

**aa-genprof** ***\<executable\>*** **\[*****-d /path/to/profiles*****\] \[*****-f /path/to/logfile*****\]**

## OPTIONS

**-d --dir  /path/to/profiles**

```
   Specifies where to look for the AppArmor security profile set.
   Defaults to /etc/apparmor.d.
```

**-f --file  /path/to/logfile**

```
        Specifies the location of logfile.
        Default locations are read from F</etc/apparmor/logprof.conf>.
        Typical defaults are:
                 /var/log/audit/audit.log
                 /var/log/syslog
                 /var/log/messages
```

## DESCRIPTION

When running aa-genprof, you must specify a program to profile.  If the specified program is not a fully-qualified path, aa-genprof will search `$PATH` in order to find the program.

If a profile does not exist for the program, aa-genprof will create one using **aa-autodep**(1).

Genprof will then:

```
   - set the profile to complain mode
   - write a mark to the system log
   - instruct the user to start the application to
     be profiled in another window and exercise its functionality
```

It then presents the user with two options, (S)can system log for entries  to add to profile and (F)inish.

If the user selects (S)can or hits return, aa-genprof will parse the complain mode logs and iterate through generated violations using **aa-logprof**(1).

After the user finishes selecting profile entries based on violations  that were detected during the program execution, aa-genprof will reload the updated profiles in complain mode and again prompt the user for (S)can and  (F)inish. This cycle can then be repeated as necessary until all application  functionality has been exercised without generating access violations.

When the user eventually hits (F)inish, aa-genprof will set the main profile, and any other profiles that were generated, into enforce mode and exit.

## BUGS

If you find any bugs, please report them at \<https://gitlab.com/apparmor/apparmor/-/issues\>.

## SEE ALSO

[**apparmor**(7)](/apparmor/7.md), [**apparmor.d**(5)](/apparmor.d/5.md), **aa-enforce**(1), **aa-complain**(1), **aa-disable**(1), [**aa\_change\_hat**(2)](/aa_change_hat/2.md), **aa-logprof**(1), [**logprof.conf**(5)](/logprof.conf/5.md), and \<https://wiki.apparmor.net\>.