RE: [logs] Centralizing Audit Logging and Reporting

From: Solomon, Frank (sysfrankat_private)
Date: Fri May 03 2002 - 05:26:05 PDT

  • Next message: Jhumri Tilayia: "Re: [logs] Centralizing Audit Logging and Reporting"

    When you say, "has anyone tried to accomplish this?"  Do you mean, "Has
    anyone tried to make a business case?"  Or, do you mean, "Has anyone tried
    to centrally log all that stuff?"
    
    Although the University of Kentucky, where I work, doesn't qualify as a
    typical business, I did make a case.  I'd be willing to share the first
    couple of pages of our proposal with you if you want.
    
    As we implemented the proposal, several things came to light.  First, there
    are lots of vendors.  Second, there are lots of products.  Third, there are
    lots of standards.  If one multiplies those together, the "solution space"
    is something like V x P x S.  Someone close to the project said, "Standards
    are like toothbrushes, everyone wants to use their own."  The same can be
    said of Vendors and Products. :-)
    
    I've tried to keep things simple.  Collection via syslog.  Store in
    MSSQL2000.  Output via Web/XML.
    
    Few of the analysis products will deal with heterogeneous logs very well.
    So, being able to selectively extract them from the database for further
    processing by vendor X's products has been helpful.  That's the main reason
    to store them in a robust database.
    
    With sincere humility I can say (8 months into this project), "I don't have
    all the answers. . .but, I'm starting to understand the questions."
    
    Frank Solomon
    University of Kentucky
    http://www.franksolomon.net
    
    
    -----Original Message-----
    From: Brian Anon [mailto:brian_anonat_private] 
    Sent: Thursday, May 02, 2002 4:40 PM
    To: loganalysisat_private
    Subject: [logs] Centralizing Audit Logging and Reporting
    
    I am in the process of creating a business case that may involve logging 
    system and application events to a central audit log database.  Once this is
    
    done, I expect to be able to query the database to generate reports.
    
    I expect the most standard approach would be to implement SYSLOGD that logs 
    to a RDBMS (MS SQL or Oracle).
    
    Some of the systems and applications I may like to do this with are:
    Windows 2000 Servers
    CheckPoint Firewall-1
    IIS RealSecure Sensors
    McAfee NetShield
    McAfee VirusShield
    Microsoft IIS
    Microsoft Exchange
    Microsoft SQL
    Oracle
    Microsoft DNS
    Citrix MetaFrame
    Cisco PIX
    Cisco Routers
    Cisco Switches
    
    I am prepared ro create scripts/agents that can grab an application log and 
    parse the information and input it into the database at scheduled intervals 
    or on-demand.  I understand each application may require a different table 
    structure.
    
    Has anyone tried to accomplish this?  Any suggestions or comments?
    
    Regards,
    Brian, CISSP
    
    
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