---
name: "vanguards"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "vanguards"
version: "0.3.1-2.3"
release: "Debian 12 (Bookworm)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/vanguards"
---

# vanguards(1)

Additional protections for Tor onion services

## NAME

vanguards - Additional protections for Tor onion services

## SYNOPSIS

vanguards \[-h\] \[--state STATE\_FILE\] \[--generate\_config WRITE\_FILE\] \[--loglevel LOGLEVEL\] \[--logfile LOGFILE\] \[--config CONFIG\_FILE\] \[--control\_ip CONTROL\_IP\] \[--control\_port CONTROL\_PORT\] \[--control\_socket CONTROL\_SOCKET\] \[--control\_pass CONTROL\_PASS\] \[--disable\_bandguards\] \[--disable\_rendguard\] \[--enable\_cbtverify\]

## DESCRIPTION

Connect to a Tor process via its control port to manage additional protections for onion services.

- **-h**, **--help**

  show help message and exit

- **--state** STATE\_FILE

  File to store vanguard state

- **--generate\_config** WRITE\_FILE

  Write config to a file after applying command args

- **--loglevel** LOGLEVEL

  Log verbosity (DEBUG, INFO, NOTICE, WARN, or ERROR)

- **--logfile** LOGFILE

  Log to LOGFILE instead of stdout

- **--config** CONFIG\_FILE

  Location of config file with more advanced settings

- **--control\_ip** CONTROL\_IP

  The IP address of the Tor Control Port to connect to (default: 127.0.0.1)

- **--control\_port** CONTROL\_PORT

  The Tor Control Port to connect to (default: 9051)

- **--control\_socket** CONTROL\_SOCKET

  The Tor Control Socket path to connect to

- **--control\_pass** CONTROL\_PASS

  The Tor Control Port password (optional)

- **--retry\_limit** RETRY\_LIMIT

  Reconnect attempt limit on failure (default: Infinite)

- **--one\_shot\_vanguards**

  Set and write layer2 and layer3 guards to torrc and exit.

- **--disable\_vanguards**

  Disable setting any layer2 and layer3 guards.

- **--disable\_bandguards**

  Disable circuit side channel checks (may help performance)

- **--disable\_rendguard**

  Disable rendezvous misuse checks (may help performance)

- **--enable\_cbtverify**

  Enable Circuit Build Time monitoring

## SEE ALSO

[tor(1)](/tor/1.md)

https://github.com/mikeperry-tor/vanguards/blob/master/README.md