diff --git a/code/hsec-cabal/hsec-cabal.cabal b/code/hsec-cabal/hsec-cabal.cabal
index 049a0270..ae492df4 100644
--- a/code/hsec-cabal/hsec-cabal.cabal
+++ b/code/hsec-cabal/hsec-cabal.cabal
@@ -34,20 +34,21 @@ common common-all
     BlockArguments
     DeriveGeneric
     DerivingStrategies
+    EmptyCase
+    LambdaCase
+    NamedFieldPuns
 
 library
   import:           common-all
   exposed-modules:
     Distribution.Audit
-    Distribution.Audit.Option
     Security.Advisories.Cabal
 
   build-depends:
-    , base                  <5
+    , base           <5
+    , Cabal
     , cabal-install
-    , Cabal-syntax
     , hsec-core
-    , optparse-applicative
 
   hs-source-dirs:   src
   default-language: Haskell2010
diff --git a/code/hsec-cabal/src/Distribution/Audit.hs b/code/hsec-cabal/src/Distribution/Audit.hs
index 8ccc8fa6..5a7c410b 100644
--- a/code/hsec-cabal/src/Distribution/Audit.hs
+++ b/code/hsec-cabal/src/Distribution/Audit.hs
@@ -1,5 +1,77 @@
 module Distribution.Audit (auditMain) where
 
+import Data.Foldable (traverse_)
+import qualified Distribution.Client.InstallPlan as Plan
+import Distribution.Client.NixStyleOptions
+  ( NixStyleFlags (configFlags)
+  , defaultNixStyleFlags
+  , nixStyleOptions
+  )
+import Distribution.Client.ProjectConfig (ProjectConfig)
+import Distribution.Client.ProjectOrchestration
+  ( CurrentCommand (OtherCommand)
+  , ProjectBaseContext
+    ( ProjectBaseContext
+    , cabalDirLayout
+    , distDirLayout
+    , localPackages
+    , projectConfig
+    )
+  , commandLineFlagsToProjectConfig
+  , establishProjectBaseContext
+  )
+import Distribution.Client.ProjectPlanning (rebuildInstallPlan)
+import Distribution.Client.Setup (ConfigFlags (configVerbosity), defaultGlobalFlags)
+import Distribution.Simple.Command
+  ( CommandParse (CommandErrors, CommandHelp, CommandList, CommandReadyToGo)
+  , CommandUI (..)
+  , commandParseArgs
+  )
+import Distribution.Simple.Flag (fromFlagOrDefault)
+import qualified Distribution.Verbosity as Verbosity
+import System.Environment (getArgs)
+
 auditMain :: IO ()
-auditMain = do
-  putStrLn "unimplemented"
+auditMain =
+  handleArgs auditCommandUI \flags -> do
+    let verbosity = verbosityFromFlags flags
+        cliConfig = projectConfigFromFlags flags
+    ProjectBaseContext {distDirLayout, cabalDirLayout, projectConfig, localPackages} <-
+      establishProjectBaseContext
+        verbosity
+        cliConfig
+        OtherCommand
+    (_, plan, _, _, _) <-
+      rebuildInstallPlan verbosity distDirLayout cabalDirLayout projectConfig localPackages Nothing
+    print `traverse_` Plan.toList plan
+
+projectConfigFromFlags :: NixStyleFlags a -> ProjectConfig
+projectConfigFromFlags flags = commandLineFlagsToProjectConfig defaultGlobalFlags flags mempty
+
+verbosityFromFlags :: NixStyleFlags a -> Verbosity.Verbosity
+verbosityFromFlags = fromFlagOrDefault Verbosity.normal . configVerbosity . configFlags
+
+auditCommandUI :: CommandUI (NixStyleFlags ())
+auditCommandUI =
+  CommandUI
+    { commandName = "cabal-audit"
+    , commandSynopsis = "Audits your cabal project"
+    , commandUsage = ("Usage: " ++)
+    , commandDescription = Nothing
+    , commandNotes = Nothing
+    , commandDefaultFlags = defaultNixStyleFlags ()
+    , commandOptions = nixStyleOptions (const [])
+    }
+
+-- | handle cabal global command args
+handleArgs
+  :: CommandUI flags
+  -> (flags -> IO ())
+  -> IO ()
+handleArgs ui k = do
+  args <- getArgs
+  case commandParseArgs ui True args of
+    CommandHelp help -> putStrLn $ help "cabal-audit"
+    CommandList opts -> putStrLn $ "commandList: " <> show opts
+    CommandErrors errs -> putStrLn $ "commandErrors: " <> show errs
+    CommandReadyToGo (flags, _commandParse) -> k $ flags $ commandDefaultFlags ui
diff --git a/code/hsec-cabal/src/Distribution/Audit/Option.hs b/code/hsec-cabal/src/Distribution/Audit/Option.hs
deleted file mode 100644
index 211aa42d..00000000
--- a/code/hsec-cabal/src/Distribution/Audit/Option.hs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
--- TODO(mangoiv): implement a proper parser as well as proper options to
--- - use constraints from a cabal file
--- - use a cabal.freeze file
--- - solve and then use cabal.freeze obtained
-module Distribution.Audit.Option
-  ( CabalAuditOptions (..)
-  , cabalAuditParser
-  )
-where
-
-import GHC.Generics (Generic)
-import Options.Applicative (Parser)
-
-data CabalAuditOptions = MkCabalAuditOptions {}
-  deriving stock (Eq, Ord, Show, Generic)
-
-cabalAuditParser :: Parser CabalAuditOptions
-cabalAuditParser = pure MkCabalAuditOptions
diff --git a/code/hsec-cabal/src/Security/Advisories/Cabal.hs b/code/hsec-cabal/src/Security/Advisories/Cabal.hs
index d0124aee..23de1a0f 100644
--- a/code/hsec-cabal/src/Security/Advisories/Cabal.hs
+++ b/code/hsec-cabal/src/Security/Advisories/Cabal.hs
@@ -1 +1,4 @@
 module Security.Advisories.Cabal where
+
+
+