# Install OX Runtime Sensor on Linux Host

Install the OX Runtime Sensor as a systemd service on a bare or on-premises Linux machine. Use this method when the host is not part of a Kubernetes cluster and is not running on AWS EC2.

## Prerequisites

* Linux with kernel v5.10 and later and BTF enabled (`/sys/kernel/btf/vmlinux` must exist).
* Docker or **containerd** installed and running.
* `sudo` access on the host.
* Outbound HTTPS access to `api.cloud.ox.security`
* [An OX API key](/secure-runtime/ox-runtime-sensor.md).

## Step 1: Install the sensor

1. Run

```
curl -s https://charts.cloud.ox.security/install.sh | sudo OX_API_KEY=<API_KEY> bash
```

2. To group this host under a meaningful name in the OX UI, add `OX_CLUSTER_NAME`:

```
curl -s https://charts.cloud.ox.security/install.sh | \
  sudo OX_API_KEY=<API_KEY> \
       OX_CLUSTER_NAME=<HOST_GROUP_NAME> \
       bash
```

The script auto-detects your container runtime, stores the API key securely in `/root/ox-runtime-sensor/env` (mode `0600`), and starts the `ox-runtime-sensor` systemd service.

## Step 2: Verify

```
curl -s https://charts.cloud.ox.security/install.sh | sudo bash -s -- --status
sudo journalctl -u ox-runtime-sensor -f
```

## [Step 3: Connect to OX Runtime Sensor](/secure-runtime/ox-runtime-sensor.md)

## Configuration reference

| Variable          | Required | Default                                           | Description                                                     |
| ----------------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `OX_API_KEY`      | **yes**  | —                                                 | API key from the OX Security dashboard                          |
| `OX_CLUSTER_NAME` | no       | system hostname                                   | Name shown in the OX UI to identify this host or group of hosts |
| `OX_API_ENDPOINT` | no       | `https://api.cloud.ox.security/api/agent-service` | OX backend endpoint (do not change unless instructed)           |

## Uninstall

```
curl -s https://charts.cloud.ox.security/install.sh | sudo bash -s -- --uninstall
```


---

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