CISCODUMP(1)

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version 4.7.4 · 17 versions
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🎀 ciscodump(1): the ciscodump manual, bestie 🎀

🌸 NAME 🌸

ciscodump — gives you interfaces to capture from a remote Cisco device through SSH.

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

ciscodump [ --help ] [ --version ] [ --extcap-interfaces ]
       [ --extcap-dlts ] [ --extcap-interface=<interface> ] [ --extcap-config ]
       [ --extcap-capture-filter=<capture filter> ] [ --capture ]
       [ --fifo=<path to file or pipe> ] [ --remote-host=<IP address> ]
       [ --remote-port=<TCP port> ] [ --remote-username=<username> ]
       [ --remote-password=<password> ] [ --remote-filter=<filter> ]
       [ --sshkey=<public key path> ] [ --remote-interface=<interface> ]
       [ --remote-count=<count> ]
ciscodump --extcap-interfaces
ciscodump --extcap-interface=ciscodump --extcap-dlts
ciscodump --extcap-interface=ciscodump --extcap-config
ciscodump --extcap-interface=ciscodump --fifo=<path to file or pipe>
       --capture --remote-host=remotedevice --remote-port=22
       --remote-username=user --remote-interface=<the device interface>
       --remote-count=<count>

💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

Okay so ciscodump is an extcap tool, and it relies on Cisco EPC to let you run a remote capture on a Cisco device in an SSH connection. It supports IOS, IOS-XE based device and ASA devices. ✨

The tool configures capture on the device, reads data, and removes configuration from the device. Your provided credentials must allow the tool to configure the device. No cap.

Once capture is started, packets are provided as they are received from the device. Capture stops when:

  • the requested count of packets is reached (--remote-count is mandatory)
  • capture finishes on the device (e.g. capture buffer is full)
  • the capture is stopped by the user

Capture performance depends on a device type. The tool tries to read packets as soon as they’re received, but is usually slower than the device is at capturing packets. Therefore packets are read in batches.

IOS/IOS-XE only gives access to all captured packets from the top. Therefore reading of second batch means to read all packets from first batch, but ignore them and then read new packets in second batch.

ASA provides access to a specific packet, so the tool reads every packet just once. Slay.

🌈 SUPPORTED CISCO SOFTWARE 🌈

The app supports IOS version is 12.4 and higher. The IOS version supporting the capture feature is 12.4(20)T and higher. More details can be found here: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/ios-nx-os-software/ios-embedded-packet-capture/datasheet_c78-502727.html

The app supports IOS-XE version 16.1 and higher. Search for "Embedded Packet Capture Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS XE" to get more details. 🦋

The app supports ASA version 8.4 and higher. More details can be found here: https://community.cisco.com/t5/security-documents/asa-using-packet-capture-to-troubleshoot-asa-firewall/ta-p/3129889

👑 OPTIONS 👑

  • --help — prints the program arguments.
  • --version — prints the program version.
  • --extcap-interfaces — lists the available interfaces.
  • --extcap-interface=<interface> — uses the interface(s) you specify.
  • --extcap-dlts — lists the DLTs of the specified interface.
  • --extcap-config — lists the configuration options of the specified interface.
  • --capture — starts capturing from the specified interface and saves it in the place specified by --fifo.
  • --fifo=<path to file or pipe> — saves the captured packet to a file or sends it through a pipe.
  • --remote-host=<remote host> — the address of the remote host for capture.
  • --remote-port=<remote port> — the SSH port of the remote host.
  • --remote-username=<username> — the username for SSH authentication.
  • --remote-password=<password> — the password to use (if not ssh-agent and pubkey are used). WARNING: the passwords are stored in plaintext and visible to all users on this system. It is recommended to use keyfiles with a SSH agent. 🙈
  • --remote-filter=<filter> — the remote filter on the device. This is a capture filter that follows the Cisco standards.

For IOS/IOS-XE see https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/ip/access-lists/26448-ACLsamples.html.

For ASA see https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/security/asa/asa96/configuration/firewall/asa-96-firewall-config/access-acls.html.

Multiple filters can be specified using a comma between them. BEWARE: when using a filter, the default behavior is to drop all the packets except the ones that fall into the filter.

Examples for IOS/IOS-XE:

permit ip host MYHOST any, permit ip any host MYHOST (capture the traffic for MYHOST)

deny ip host MYHOST any, deny ip any host MYHOST, permit ip any any (capture all the traffic except MYHOST)

Examples for ASA:

permit any4 host MYHOST, permit host MYHOST any4 (capture IPv4 traffic for MYHOST)
Note — Different capture types support or do not support specific ACL keywords. The tool is not able to check it, just tries to configure it. If error occurs, the tool just reports it and terminates. Debris are left in configuration in this case. 💀
  • --sshkey=<SSH private key path> — the path to a private key for authentication.
  • --remote-interface=<remote interface> — the remote network interface to capture from. One interface or list of interface names can be used. Interfaces are separated by comma. Interface names must be supported by the device.

There are interface names causing different capture types. They are specific to used Cisco software.

IOS special names

  • process-switched — capture process switched packets in both directions
  • from-us — capture process switched packets originating at the device

IOS-XE special names

  • control-plane — captures in/out packets touching control plane

ASA special names

  • asp-drop — capture packets dropped by all asp categories
  • TYPE---ifname — syntax to refer ASA capture types, see https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/security/asa/asa-cli-reference/A-H/asa-command-ref-A-H/ca-cld-commands.html#wp2435483314
    • isakmp---ifname — capture isakmp packets
    • lacp---ifname — capture lacp packets (just physical interfaces are supported)
    • tls-proxy---ifname — capture tls-proxy packets
    • inline-tag---ifname — capture all SGT tagged packets
    • raw-data---ifname — same as ifname
  • syntax to capture decrypted traffic for some of capture types:
    • isakmp/decrypted---ifname — capture isakmp packets including decrypted payload
    • tls-proxy/decrypted---ifname — capture tls-proxy packets including decrypted payload
    • inline-tag/decrypted---ifname — capture inline-tag packets including decrypted payload
    • raw-data/decrypted---ifname — capture raw-data packets including decrypted payload

Use e. g. isakmp/decrypted---outside to capture encrypted and decrypted isakmp traffic on outside interface. 🫶

  • --remote-count=<count> — count of packets to capture. Capture is stopped when count is reached.
  • --extcap-capture-filter=<capture filter> — unused (compatibility only).

🎀 EXAMPLES 🎀

okay so real talk, the fastest way to vibe-check this thing is to just ask it stuff. wanna see the program arguments? say less bestie:

ciscodump --help

wanna see the program version? iconic, here:

ciscodump --version

wanna see the interfaces? boom:

ciscodump --extcap-interfaces

only one interface (ciscodump) is supported — that's the whole roster, singular, one icon, no competition 💅

example output:

interface {value=ciscodump}{display=SSH remote capture}

wanna see the interface DLTs? literally just:

ciscodump --extcap-interface=ciscodump --extcap-dlts

example output:

dlt {number=147}{name=ciscodump}{display=Remote capture dependent DLT}

and for the interface configuration options:

ciscodump --extcap-interface=ciscodump --extcap-config

example output — and yes, I'm copying this exactly as it prints, missing braces and all, don't come for me 🙈:

ciscodump --extcap-interface=ciscodump --extcap-config
arg {number=0}{call=--remote-host}{display=Remote SSH server address}
    {type=string}{tooltip=The remote SSH host. It can be both an IP address or a hostname}
    {required=true}{group=Server}
arg {number=1}{call=--remote-port}{display=Remote SSH server port}
    {type=unsigned}{default=22}{tooltip=The remote SSH host port (1-65535)}
    {range=1,65535}{group=Server}
arg {number=2}{call=--remote-username}{display=Remote SSH server username}
    {type=string}{default=<current user>}{tooltip=The remote SSH username. If not provided, the current user will be used}
    {group=Authentication}
arg {number=3}{call=--remote-password}{display=Remote SSH server password}
    {type=password}{tooltip=The SSH password, used when other methods (SSH agent or key files) are unavailable.}
    {group=Authentication}
arg {number=4}{call=--sshkey}{display=Path to SSH private key}
    {type=fileselect}{tooltip=The path on the local filesystem of the private ssh key}
    {group=Authentication}
arg {number=5}{call=--proxycommand}{display=ProxyCommand}
    {type=string}{tooltip=The command to use as proxy for the SSH connection}{group=Authentication}
arg {number=6}{call--sshkey-passphrase}{display=SSH key passphrase}
    {type=password}{tooltip=Passphrase to unlock the SSH private key}{group=Authentication
arg {number=7}{call=--remote-interface}{display=Remote interface}
    {type=string}{tooltip=The remote network interface used for capture}
    {required=true}{group=Capture}
arg {number=8}{call=--remote-filter}{display=Remote capture filter}
    {type=string}{tooltip=The remote capture filter}{default=<filter to exclude current host>}
    {group=Capture}
arg {number=9}{call=--remote-count}{display=Packets to capture}
    {type=unsigned}{tooltip=The number of remote packets to capture.}
    {required=true}{group=Capture}
arg {number=10}{call=--debug}{display=Run in debug mode}
    {type=boolflag}{default=false}{tooltip=Print debug messages}
    {required=false}{group=Debug}
arg {number=11}{call=--debug-file}{display=Use a file for debug}
    {type=string}{tooltip=Set a file where the debug messages are written}
    {required=false}{group=Debug}

to capture on IOS/IOS-XE:

ciscodump --extcap-interface ciscodump --fifo=/tmp/cisco.pcap --capture --remote-host 192.168.1.10
    --remote-username user --remote-interface gigabit0/0,gigabit0/1
    --remote-filter "permit ip host 192.168.1.1 any, permit ip any host 192.168.1.1"
    --remote-count=10

to capture on IOS/IOS-XE — okay so the page labels this one IOS/IOS-XE too and we're just gonna roll with it, the interfaces are giving very ASA but whatever, slay 🦋:

ciscodump --extcap-interface ciscodump --fifo=/tmp/cisco.pcap --capture --remote-host 192.168.1.10
    --remote-username user --remote-interface outside,dmz
    --remote-filter "permit host 192.168.1.1 any4, permit any4 host 192.168.1.1"
    --remote-count=10

and then this one just shows up with no intro whatsoever, main character energy, no announcement needed 👑:

ciscodump --extcap-interface ciscodump --fifo=/tmp/cisco.pcap --capture --remote-host 192.168.1.10
    --remote-username user --remote-interface raw-data/decrypted---outside
    --remote-filter "permit host 192.168.1.1 any4, permit any4 host 192.168.1.1"

💀 KNOWN ISSUES 💀

ngl bestie, there are some lore drops here and you need to know them.

so when a capture gets stopped by the user before it finishes on the Windows platform, the configuration is not cleared on the device. and then the next run will probably fail, because parts of the configuration already exist on the device. yeah. 😭

reading performance on IOS/IOS-XE is poor, because it's re-reading the capture buffer over and over. it's giving "running on a treadmill" energy fr fr.

the configuration of the capture on the device is a multi-step process. if the SSH connection gets interrupted during it, the configuration can end up in an inconsistent state. that can also happen if the capture is stopped and ciscodump can't clean the configuration up. in that case it is necessary to log into the device and manually clean the configuration, removing these configuration elements:

  • IOS
    • capture points WSC_P_<number> (depends on count of capture interfaces)
    • the capture buffer WSC_B
    • the capture capture acl WSC_ACL (if filter was used)
  • IOS-XE
    • the capture WSC
    • the capture capture acl WSC_ACL (if filter was used)
  • ASA
    • the capture WSC
    • the capture capture acl WSC_ACL (if filter was used)
⚠️ and heads up on IOS platforms: only IPv4 commands are issued and only IPv4 packets are captured. that's it, that's the whole vibe, IPv6 is not invited to this party.

🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

the squad, the group chat, the ones you'll probably also need: wireshark(1), tshark(1), dumpcap(1), extcap(4), sshdump(1) 🫶

⭐ NOTES ⭐

ciscodump is part of the Wireshark distribution — it's literally fam. the latest version of Wireshark can be found at https://www.wireshark.org

HTML versions of the Wireshark project man pages are available at https://www.wireshark.org/docs/man-pages — go read them in a browser like a civilized icon 💅

🧚 AUTHORS 🧚

Original Author Dario Lombardo <lomato[AT]gmail.com>

and that's the tea, that's the page, we made it to the end together 🎀 this whole thing is from the Wireshark CISCODUMP(1) man page, dated 2026-10-08 — so if the date looks weird to you, take it up with the calendar, not me. bye bestie, go capture some packets 💖✨

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