The osquery() driver sends log messages to osquery's syslog table.
The syslog table contains logs forwarded over a named pipe from syslog-ng. When an osquery process that supports the syslog table starts up, it creates (and properly sets permissions for) a named pipe for syslog-ng to write to.
Example: Using the osquery() destination driver
Run osqueryi:
osqueryi --enable_syslog
--disable-events=false
To store the database on disk:
osqueryi --enable_syslog
--disable-events=false
--database_path=/tmp/osquery.db
To set up a custom named pipe:
osqueryi --enable_syslog
--disable-events=false
--database_path=/tmp/osquery.db
--syslog_pipe_path=/tmp/osq.pipe
Example configuration:
@version: 3.12
@include "scl.conf"
source s_net {
network(port(5514));
};
destination d_osquery {
# custom pipe path:
#osquery(pipe("/tmp/osq.pipe"));
# backup outgoing logs:
#osquery(file("/var/log/osquery_inserts.log" template(t_osquery)));
# defaults
osquery();
};
log {
source(s_net);
destination(d_osquery);
flags(flow-control);
};
The osquery() destination has the following options:
file()
| Type: |
string |
| Default: |
N/A |
Description: Specifies a path to the file where log messages are stored, for example, for debug purposes.
Specifying this option is optional. However, when you start losing logs for some reason, then it is recommended to write outgoing log messages to a specified file, in the same format that messages are written to the pipe. You can also use a template() function called t_osquery, which re-formats messages so they comply with the text-based protocol that osquery accepts.
hook-commands()
Description: This option makes it possible to execute external programs when the relevant driver is initialized or torn down. The hook-commands() can be used with all source and destination drivers with the exception of the usertty() and internal() drivers.
NOTE: The syslog-ng OSE application must be able to start and restart the external program, and have the necessary permissions to do so. For example, if your host is running AppArmor or SELinux, you might have to modify your AppArmor or SELinux configuration to enable syslog-ng OSE to execute external applications.
Using the hook-commands() when syslog-ng OSE starts or stops
To execute an external program when syslog-ng OSE starts or stops, use the following options:
| startup() |
| Type: |
string |
| Default: |
N/A |
|
Description: Defines the external program that is executed as syslog-ng OSE starts. |
| shutdown() |
| Type: |
string |
| Default: |
N/A |
|
Description: Defines the external program that is executed as syslog-ng OSE stops. |
Using the hook-commands() when syslog-ng OSE reloads
To execute an external program when the syslog-ng OSE configuration is initiated or torn down, for example, on startup/shutdown or during a syslog-ng OSE reload, use the following options:
| setup() |
| Type: |
string |
| Default: |
N/A |
|
Description: Defines an external program that is executed when the syslog-ng OSE configuration is initiated, for example, on startup or during a syslog-ng OSE reload. |
| teardown() |
| Type: |
string |
| Default: |
N/A |
|
Description: Defines an external program that is executed when the syslog-ng OSE configuration is stopped or torn down, for example, on shutdown or during a syslog-ng OSE reload. |
Example: Using the hook-commands() with a network source
In the following example, the hook-commands() is used with the network() driver and it opens an iptables port automatically as syslog-ng OSE is started/stopped.
The assumption in this example is that the LOGCHAIN chain is part of a larger ruleset that routes traffic to it. Whenever the syslog-ng OSE created rule is there, packets can flow, otherwise the port is closed.
source {
network(transport(udp)
hook-commands(
startup("iptables -I LOGCHAIN 1 -p udp --dport 514 -j ACCEPT")
shutdown("iptables -D LOGCHAIN 1")
)
);
};
pipe()
| Type: |
string |
| Default: |
N/A |
Description: Specifies a custom path to the named pipe that acts as the interface between osquery and syslog-ng. (The default path is set in the SCL file.)
Specifying this option is optional.
The pipe() driver sends messages to a named pipe like /dev/xconsole.
The pipe driver has a single required parameter, specifying the filename of the pipe to open. The filename can include macros. For the list of available optional parameters, see pipe() destination options.
Declaration:
pipe(filename);
|
|
Caution:
Starting with syslog-ng OSE 3.0.2, pipes are created automatically. In earlier versions, you had to create the pipe using the mkfifo(1) command. |
Example: Using the pipe() driver
destination d_pipe { pipe("/dev/xconsole"); };
This driver sends messages to a named pipe like /dev/xconsole.
The pipe() destination has the following options:
create-dirs()
| Type: |
yes or no |
| Default: |
no |
Description: Enable creating non-existing directories when creating files or socket files.
flags()
| Type: |
no-multi-line, syslog-protocol |
| Default: |
empty set |
Description: Flags influence the behavior of the destination driver.
-
no-multi-line: The no-multi-line flag disables line-breaking in the messages: the entire message is converted to a single line.
-
syslog-protocol: The syslog-protocol flag instructs the driver to format the messages according to the new IETF syslog protocol standard (RFC5424), but without the frame header. If this flag is enabled, macros used for the message have effect only for the text of the message, the message header is formatted to the new standard. Note that this flag is not needed for the syslog driver, and that the syslog driver automatically adds the frame header to the messages.
flush-lines()
| Type: |
number |
| Default: |
Use global setting (exception: for http() destination, the default is 1). |
Description: Specifies how many lines are flushed to a destination at a time. The syslog-ng OSE application waits for this number of lines to accumulate and sends them off in a single batch. Increasing this number increases throughput as more messages are sent in a single batch, but also increases message latency.
The syslog-ng OSE application flushes the messages if it has sent flush-lines() number of messages, or the queue became empty. If you stop or reload syslog-ng OSE or in case of network sources, the connection with the client is closed, syslog-ng OSE automatically sends the unsent messages to the destination.
For optimal performance when sending messages to an syslog-ng OSE server, make sure that the value of flush-lines() is smaller than the window size set in the log-iw-size() option in the source of your server.
Description: The syslog-ng application can store fractions of a second in the timestamps according to the ISO8601 format. The frac-digits() parameter specifies the number of digits stored. The digits storing the fractions are padded by zeros if the original timestamp of the message specifies only seconds. Fractions can always be stored for the time the message was received.
NOTE: The syslog-ng OSE application can add the fractions to non-ISO8601 timestamps as well.
NOTE: As syslog-ng OSE is precise up to the microsecond, when the frac-digits() option is set to a value higher than 6, syslog-ng OSE will truncate the fraction seconds in the timestamps after 6 digits.
group()
| Type: |
string |
| Default: |
Use the global settings |
Description: Set the group of the created file to the one specified. To preserve the original properties of an existing file, use the option without specifying an attribute: group().
hook-commands()
Description: This option makes it possible to execute external programs when the relevant driver is initialized or torn down. The hook-commands() can be used with all source and destination drivers with the exception of the usertty() and internal() drivers.
NOTE: The syslog-ng OSE application must be able to start and restart the external program, and have the necessary permissions to do so. For example, if your host is running AppArmor or SELinux, you might have to modify your AppArmor or SELinux configuration to enable syslog-ng OSE to execute external applications.
Using the hook-commands() when syslog-ng OSE starts or stops
To execute an external program when syslog-ng OSE starts or stops, use the following options:
| startup() |
| Type: |
string |
| Default: |
N/A |
|
Description: Defines the external program that is executed as syslog-ng OSE starts. |
| shutdown() |
| Type: |
string |
| Default: |
N/A |
|
Description: Defines the external program that is executed as syslog-ng OSE stops. |
Using the hook-commands() when syslog-ng OSE reloads
To execute an external program when the syslog-ng OSE configuration is initiated or torn down, for example, on startup/shutdown or during a syslog-ng OSE reload, use the following options:
| setup() |
| Type: |
string |
| Default: |
N/A |
|
Description: Defines an external program that is executed when the syslog-ng OSE configuration is initiated, for example, on startup or during a syslog-ng OSE reload. |
| teardown() |
| Type: |
string |
| Default: |
N/A |
|
Description: Defines an external program that is executed when the syslog-ng OSE configuration is stopped or torn down, for example, on shutdown or during a syslog-ng OSE reload. |
Example: Using the hook-commands() with a network source
In the following example, the hook-commands() is used with the network() driver and it opens an iptables port automatically as syslog-ng OSE is started/stopped.
The assumption in this example is that the LOGCHAIN chain is part of a larger ruleset that routes traffic to it. Whenever the syslog-ng OSE created rule is there, packets can flow, otherwise the port is closed.
source {
network(transport(udp)
hook-commands(
startup("iptables -I LOGCHAIN 1 -p udp --dport 514 -j ACCEPT")
shutdown("iptables -D LOGCHAIN 1")
)
);
};
log-fifo-size()
| Type: |
number |
| Default: |
Use global setting. |
Description: The number of messages that the output queue can store.
mark-freq()
| Accepted values: |
number [seconds] |
| Default: |
1200 |
Description: An alias for the obsolete mark() option, retained for compatibility with syslog-ng version 1.6.x.
The number of seconds between two MARK messages. MARK messages are generated when there was no message traffic to inform the receiver that the connection is still alive. If set to zero (0), no MARK messages are sent. The mark-freq() can be set for global option and/or every MARK capable destination driver if mark-mode() is periodical or dst-idle or host-idle. If mark-freq() is not defined in the destination, then the mark-freq() will be inherited from the global options. If the destination uses internal mark-mode(), then the global mark-freq() will be valid (does not matter what mark-freq() set in the destination side).
mark-mode()
| Accepted values: |
internal | dst-idle | host-idle | periodical | none | global |
| Default: |
internal for pipe, program drivers
none for file, unix-dgram, unix-stream drivers
global for syslog, tcp, udp destinations
host-idle for global option |
Description: The mark-mode() option can be set for the following destination drivers: file(), program(), unix-dgram(), unix-stream(), network(), pipe(), syslog() and in global option.
-
internal: When internal mark mode is selected, internal source should be placed in the log path as this mode does not generate mark by itself at the destination. This mode only yields the mark messages from internal source. This is the mode as syslog-ng OSE 3.3 worked. MARK will be generated by internal source if there was NO traffic on local sources:
file(), pipe(), unix-stream(), unix-dgram(), program()
-
dst-idle: Sends MARK signal if there was NO traffic on destination drivers. MARK signal from internal source will be dropped.
MARK signal can be sent by the following destination drivers: network(), syslog(), program(), file(), pipe(), unix-stream(), unix-dgram().
-
host-idle: Sends MARK signal if there was NO local message on destination drivers. for example, MARK is generated even if messages were received from tcp. MARK signal from internal source will be dropped.
MARK signal can be sent by the following destination drivers: network(), syslog(), program(), file(), pipe(), unix-stream(), unix-dgram().
-
periodical: Sends MARK signal perodically, regardless of traffic on destination driver. MARK signal from internal source will be dropped.
MARK signal can be sent by the following destination drivers: network(), syslog(), program(), file(), pipe(), unix-stream(), unix-dgram().
-
none: Destination driver drops all MARK messages. If an explicit mark-mode() is not given to the drivers where none is the default value, then none will be used.
-
global: Destination driver uses the global mark-mode() setting. Note that setting the global mark-mode() to global causes a syntax error in syslog-ng OSE.
NOTE: In case of dst-idle, host-idle and periodical, the MARK message will not be written in the destination, if it is not open yet.
Available in syslog-ng OSE 3.4 and later.
owner()
| Type: |
string |
| Default: |
Use the global settings |
Description: Set the owner of the created file to the one specified. To preserve the original properties of an existing file, use the option without specifying an attribute: owner().
pad-size()
Description: If set, syslog-ng OSE will pad output messages to the specified size (in bytes). Some operating systems (such as HP-UX) pad all messages to block boundary. This option can be used to specify the block size. (HP-UX uses 2048 bytes).
|
|
Caution:
Hazard of data loss! If the size of the incoming message is larger than the previously set pad-size() value, syslog-ng will truncate the message to the specified size. Therefore, all message content above that size will be lost. |
perm()
| Type: |
number (octal notation) |
| Default: |
0600 |
Description: The permission mask of the pipe. For octal numbers prefix the number with '0', for example: use 0755 for rwxr-xr-x.
suppress()
| Type: |
seconds |
| Default: |
0 (disabled) |
Description: If several identical log messages would be sent to the destination without any other messages between the identical messages (for example, an application repeated an error message ten times), syslog-ng can suppress the repeated messages and send the message only once, followed by the Last message repeated n times. message. The parameter of this option specifies the number of seconds syslog-ng waits for identical messages.
template()
| Type: |
string |
| Default: |
A format conforming to the default logfile format. |
Description: Specifies a template defining the logformat to be used in the destination. Macros are described in Macros of syslog-ng OSE. Please note that for network destinations it might not be appropriate to change the template as it changes the on-wire format of the syslog protocol which might not be tolerated by stock syslog receivers (like syslogd or syslog-ng itself). For network destinations make sure the receiver can cope with the custom format defined.
template-escape()
| Type: |
yes or no |
| Default: |
no |
Description: Turns on escaping for the ', ", and backspace characters in templated output files. This is useful for generating SQL statements and quoting string contents so that parts of the log message are not interpreted as commands to the SQL server.
throttle()
Description: Sets the maximum number of messages sent to the destination per second. Use this output-rate-limiting functionality only when using disk-buffer as well to avoid the risk of losing messages. Specifying 0 or a lower value sets the output limit to unlimited.
time-reap()
| Accepted values: |
number (seconds) |
| Default: |
60 or 0, see description for details |
Description: The time to wait in seconds before an idle destination file or pipe is closed. Note that only destination files having macros in their filenames are closed automatically.
Starting with version 3.23, the way how time-reap() works is the following.
-
If the time-reap() option of the destination is set, that value is used, for example:
destination d_fifo {
pipe(
"/tmp/test.fifo",
time-reap(30) # sets time-reap() for this destination only
);
};
-
If the time-reap() option of the destination is not set, and the destination does not use a template or macro in its filename or path, time-reap() is automatically set to 0. For example:
destination d_fifo {
pipe(
"/tmp/test.fifo",
);
};
-
Otherwise, the value of the global time-reap() option is used, which defaults to 60 seconds.
time-reopen()
| Accepted values: |
number [seconds] |
| Default: |
60 |
Description: The time to wait in seconds before a dead connection is reestablished.
time-zone()
| Type: |
name of the timezone, or the timezone offset |
| Default: |
unspecified |
Description: Convert timestamps to the timezone specified by this option. If this option is not set, then the original timezone information in the message is used. Converting the timezone changes the values of all date-related macros derived from the timestamp, for example, HOUR. For the complete list of such macros, see Date-related macros.
The timezone can be specified by using the name, for example, time-zone("Europe/Budapest")), or as the timezone offset in +/-HH:MM format, for example, +01:00). On Linux and UNIX platforms, the valid timezone names are listed under the /usr/share/zoneinfo directory.
ts-format()
| Type: |
rfc3164, bsd, rfc3339, iso |
| Default: |
rfc3164 |
Description: Override the global timestamp format (set in the global ts-format() parameter) for the specific destination. For details, see ts-format().
NOTE: This option applies only to file and file-like destinations. Destinations that use specific protocols (for example, network(), or syslog()) ignore this option. For protocol-like destinations, use a template locally in the destination, or use the proto-template option.
