ProFTPD module mod_log_forensic

## ProFTPD module `mod_log_forensic`

The `mod_log_forensic` module "captures" log messages generated by `proftpd`, for all sorts of log destinations, even if those log messages would otherwise not be written out, and buffers them in memory. When certain criteria are met (e.g. failed logins, segfaults, etc), the `mod_log_forensic` module will flush the buffered log messages out to a file. Installation instructions are discussed here.

The most current version of `mod_log_forensic` is distributed with the ProFTPD source code.

## Author

Please contact TJ Saunders <tj at castaglia.org> with any questions, concerns, or suggestions regarding this module.

## Directives

- ForensicLogBufferSize
- ForensicLogCapture
- ForensicLogCriteria
- ForensicLogEngine
- ForensicLogFile

### ForensicLogBufferSize

Syntax: ForensicLogBufferSize count
Default: 1024
Context: server config, `<VirtualHost>`, `<Global>`
Module: mod_log_forensic
Compatibility: 1.3.4rc3 and later

The `ForensicLogBufferSize` directives configures the count of log messages that `mod_log_forensic` will buffer. It is effectively the count of the last count log messages you wish to see logged, when one of the `ForensicLogCriteria` are met.

### ForensicLogCapture

Syntax: ForensicLogCapture log-type1 ...
Default: Unspec TransferLog syslog SystemLog ExtendedLog TraceLog
Context: server config, `<VirtualHost>`, `<Global>`
Module: mod_log_forensic
Compatibility: 1.3.4rc3 and later

The `ForensicLogCapture` directive configures which log types the `mod_log_forensic` module "captures" for later writing. By default, `mod_log_forensic` captures messages for all log types.

The supported log types are:

- `Unspec`

  This "type" covers any unspecified/unknown log, e.g. module-specific log files such as `SFTPLog`, `SQLLogFile`, `TLSLog`, etc.

- `TransferLog`
- `syslog`
- `SystemLog`
- `ExtendedLog`
- `TraceLog`

### ForensicLogCriteria

Syntax: ForensicLogCriteria criterion1 ...
Default: FailedLogin UntimelyDeath
Context: server config, `<VirtualHost>`, `<Global>`
Module: mod_log_forensic
Compatibility: 1.3.4rc3 and later

The `ForensicLogCriteria` directive configures the criteria which determine when `mod_log_forensic` will flush its buffered log messages out to the configured `ForensicLogFile`. Multiple criteria can be specified.

The currently supported criteria are:

- `FailedLogin`

  The buffered log messages will be written to the `ForensicLogFile` if the login fails for any reason.

- `UntimelyDeath`

  If a session dies prematurely, e.g. due to a segfault or other internal error, the buffered log messages will be written to the `ForensicLogFile`.

- `ModuleConfig`

  If a session dies due to a module-specific policy, the buffered log messages will be written to the `ForensicLogFile`.

### ForensicLogEngine

Syntax: ForensicLogEngine on|off
Default: off
Context: server config, `<VirtualHost>`, `<Global>`
Module: mod_log_forensic
Compatibility: 1.3.4rc3 and later

The `ForensicLogEngine` directive enables or disables the `mod_log_forensic` module.

### ForensicLogFile

Syntax: ForensicLogFile file
Default: None
Context: server config, `<VirtualHost>`, `<Global>`
Module: mod_log_forensic
Compatibility: 1.3.4rc3 and later

The `ForensicLogFile` directive configures a file used for logging by `mod_log_forensic`. The configured file must be an absolute path.

Note that this directive is required for `mod_log_forensic` to function properly.

## Installation

The `mod_log_forensic` module is distributed with ProFTPD. For including `mod_log_forensic` as a statically linked module, use:

      $ ./configure --with-modules=mod_log_forensic ...

Alternatively, `mod_log_forensic` can be built as a DSO module:

      $ ./configure --enable-dso --with-shared=mod_log_forensic ...

Then follow the usual steps:

      $ make
      $ make install

Alternatively, if your `proftpd` was compiled with DSO support, you can use the `prxs` tool to build `mod_log_forensic` as a shared module:

      $ prxs -c -i -d mod_log_forensic.c

## Usage

Example `mod_log_forensic` configuration:

      <IfModule mod_log_forensic.c>
        ForensicLogEngine on
        ForensicLogFile /path/to/forensic.log
      </IfModule>

For a failed login, the configured `ForensicLogFile` will contain a block of log lines, e.g.:

      -----BEGIN FAILED LOGIN FORENSICS-----
      Client-Address: 127.0.0.1
      Server-Address: ::ffff:127.0.0.1:5376
      Elapsed: 1245
      Protocol: ftp
      User: tj
      UID: 501
      GID: 501
      Raw-Bytes-In: 46
      Raw-Bytes-Out: 158
      Total-Bytes-In: 0
      Total-Bytes-Out: 0
      Total-Files-In: 0
      Total-Files-Out: 0

      ...
      [syslog:7, PID 16044] dispatching CMD command 'PASS (hidden)' to mod_auth
      [syslog:7, PID 16044] retrieved UID 1000 for user 'tj'
      [syslog:7, PID 16044] retrieved group IDs: 1000, 0, 4, 20, 24, 46, 108, 109, 110
      [syslog:7, PID 16044] retrieved group names: tj, root, adm, dialout, cdrom, plugdev, lpadmin, sambashare, admin
      [syslog:7, PID 16044] ROOT PRIVS at mod_auth_pam.c:312
      [syslog:7, PID 16044] RELINQUISH PRIVS at mod_auth_pam.c:482
      [syslog:7, PID 16044] ROOT PRIVS at mod_auth_unix.c:467
      [syslog:7, PID 16044] RELINQUISH PRIVS at mod_auth_unix.c:548
      [SystemLog:5] familiar proftpd[15509] localhost (localhost[127.0.0.1]): USER tj (Login failed): Incorrect password.
      [syslog:7, PID 16044] dispatching POST_CMD_ERR command 'PASS (hidden)' to mod_delay
      [syslog:7, PID 16044] dispatching LOG_CMD_ERR command 'PASS (hidden)' to mod_log
      -----END FAILED LOGIN FORENSICS-----

For sessions which suffer an "untimely death", the begin/end markers in the `ForensicLogFile` are:

      -----BEGIN UNTIMELY DEATH FORENSICS-----
      Client-Address: 127.0.0.1
      Server-Address: ::ffff:127.0.0.1:5376
      Elapsed: 1245
      Protocol: ftp
      User: tj
      UID: 501
      GID: 501
      Raw-Bytes-In: 46
      Raw-Bytes-Out: 158
      Total-Bytes-In: 0
      Total-Bytes-Out: 0
      Total-Files-In: 0
      Total-Files-Out: 0

      ...
      -----END UNTIMELY DEATH FORENSICS-----

Advantages
What's the big deal with this module? What advantage does it provide over the normal `proftpd` logging? The advantage is that with `mod_log_forensic`, you do not have to configure ProFTPD to use verbose logging (i.e. high `DebugLevel` and/or `Trace` levels). If ProFTPD generated a log message internally but that log message was filtered, then that log message would not normally be written to disk -- but `mod_log_forensic` buffers that log message anyway.

To see this, simply use the following in your `proftpd.conf`:

      TraceLog /path/to/ftpd/trace.log
      Trace DEFAULT:0

      <IfModule mod_log_forensic.c>
        ForensicLogEngine on
        ForensicLogFile /path/to/ftpd/forensic.log
      </IfModule>

This configured `proftpd` for trace logging, but turns the trace logging levels down to zero so that normally, nothing would be written in the configured `TraceLog` file.

Now attempt to log into `proftpd`, deliberately using a wrong/bad password (or unknown user). The `mod_log_forensic` module will write out all of the trace logging messages (and the other `SystemLog`/syslog messages) to the `ForensicLogFile`, even though the debug level is at the default level of zero, and the trace levels are all zero. Thus you get the verbose logging needed to help diagnose failed logins and such, without having the verbose logging enabled all of the time.

© Copyright 2011-2013 TJ Saunders
All Rights Reserved