Overview

Getting Started

Prerequisites

Before installing Apex, you’ll need to install the required dependencies:

Install Bun

Bun is a fast JavaScript runtime required by Apex. Install it using one of the following methods:

After installation, restart your terminal to ensure bun is available in your PATH.

Install nmap

nmap is required for network scanning functionality:

Installation

Once the prerequisites are installed, install Apex globally using npm:

$npm install -g @pensar/apex

Apex is now installed! You can run it from anywhere by typing pensar in your terminal.

Configuration

Before running Apex, you need to configure your AI provider API key. Apex supports multiple providers, but Anthropic is recommended for best results.

Set your OpenAI API key:

$export OPENAI_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"

Get your API key from platform.openai.com.

Configure AWS credentials:

$export AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID="your-access-key"
>export AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY="your-secret-key"
>export AWS_REGION="us-east-1"

Ensure you have access to Anthropic Claude models in AWS Bedrock.

Set your local vLLM endpoint:

$export LOCAL_MODEL_URL="http://localhost:8000/v1"

Then configure the model name in Apex using the /models command.

Tip: Add these exports to your shell profile (.bashrc, .zshrc, etc.) to persist them across terminal sessions.

Running Apex

Launch Apex by running:

$pensar

This will start the interactive terminal interface where you can access all Apex commands.

Apex Terminal Interface

Using Kali Linux Container (Optional)

For best performance and maximum compatibility with security tools, we recommend running Apex in the included Kali Linux container:

1

Clone the Repository

bash git clone https://github.com/pensarai/apex.git cd apex/container

2

Configure Environment

bash cp env.example .env # Edit .env and add your API keys

3

Start Container

bash docker compose up --build -d
4

Enter Container

bash docker compose exec kali-apex bash

5

Run Apex

Inside the container, run: bash pensar

Linux Users: Consider using network_mode: host in docker-compose.yml for comprehensive network scanning capabilities.

First Steps

Now that Apex is installed and configured, try these commands:

/help

View all available commands and their descriptions.

/models

Configure which AI model to use for testing.

/config

View and modify Apex configuration settings.

/quicktest

Start a quick penetration test on a target.

Next Steps

Commands Reference

Learn about all available commands in Apex.

Quick Test

Run your first quick penetration test.

Thorough Pentest

Perform a comprehensive security assessment.

Sessions

Learn how to save and resume testing sessions.

Need Help?

If you encounter any issues or have questions, reach out to our support team at team@pensarai.com.