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Docs for the audit logfile structured format #34584

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Docs for the audit logfile structured format #34584

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Finally ....
albertzaharovits Oct 18, 2018
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albertzaharovits Oct 23, 2018
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Update docs/reference/settings/audit-settings.asciidoc
lcawl Oct 23, 2018
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Update docs/reference/settings/audit-settings.asciidoc
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Update x-pack/docs/en/security/auditing/output-logfile.asciidoc
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46 changes: 31 additions & 15 deletions docs/reference/settings/audit-settings.asciidoc
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Expand Up @@ -18,10 +18,17 @@ Set to `true` to enable auditing on the node. The default value is `false`.
`xpack.security.audit.outputs`::
Specifies where audit logs are output. For example: `[ index, logfile ]`. The
default value is `logfile`, which puts the auditing events in a dedicated
`<clustername>_access.log` file on the node. You can also specify `index`, which
puts the auditing events in an {es} index that is prefixed with
`.security_audit_log`. The index can reside on the same cluster or a separate
cluster.
file named `<clustername>_audit.log` on each node.
You can also specify `index`, which puts the auditing events in an {es} index
that is prefixed with `.security_audit_log`. The index can reside on the same
cluster or a separate cluster.

For backwards compatibility reasons, the logfile contents are duplicated to
the `<clustername>_access.log` file with the format for versions prior to 6.5.0.
If the backwards compatible format is not required, it should be disabled.
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To do that, change its logger level to `off` in the `log4j2.properties` file
from `ES_PATH_CONF`.
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@lcawl lcawl Oct 23, 2018 •
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I suggest changing this to something like this:
"... in the log4j2.properties file. For more information, see <<configuring-logging-levels>>. "


+
--
TIP: If the index is unavailable, it is possible for auditing events to
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -57,17 +64,26 @@ audited in plain text when including the request body in audit events.
[[node-audit-settings]]
==== Local Node Info Settings

`xpack.security.audit.logfile.prefix.emit_node_name`::
Specifies whether to include the node's name in the local node info. The
default value is `true`.

`xpack.security.audit.logfile.prefix.emit_node_host_address`::
Specifies whether to include the node's IP address in the local node info. The
default value is `false`.

`xpack.security.audit.logfile.prefix.emit_node_host_name`::
Specifies whether to include the node's host name in the local node info. The
default value is `false`.
`xpack.security.audit.logfile.emit_node_name`::
Specifies whether to include the <<node-name, node name>> as a field in each
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This link fails when I build the documentation. Are you trying to link to https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/master/node.name.html ?

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yes.

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replaced with {ref}/node.name.html[node name]

audit event.
The default value is `true`.

`xpack.security.audit.logfile.emit_node_host_address`::
Specifies whether to include the node's IP address as a field in each audit event.
The default value is `false`.

`xpack.security.audit.logfile.emit_node_host_name`::
Specifies whether to include the node's host name as a field in each audit event.
The default value is `false`.

`xpack.security.audit.logfile.emit_node_id`::
Specifies whether to include the node id as a field in each audit event.
This is available for the new format only.
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Is it worth adding "that is to say, this information does not exist in the <clustername>_access.log file"?

Unlike <<node-name, node name>>, whose value might change if the administrator
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This "node-name" link also fails. If you let me know what you're trying to link to, I can help fix it

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replaced with {ref}/node.name.html[node name]

changes the setting in the config file, the node id will persist across cluster
restarts and the administrator has no handle to change it.
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The "has no handle to change it" is a bit unclear to me. Can we just say, "cannot change it"?

The default value is `true`.

[[index-audit-settings]]
==== Audit Log Indexing Configuration Settings
Expand Down
38 changes: 35 additions & 3 deletions x-pack/docs/en/security/auditing/output-logfile.asciidoc
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Expand Up @@ -3,13 +3,39 @@
=== Logfile audit output

The `logfile` audit output is the default output for auditing. It writes data to
the `<clustername>_access.log` file in the logs directory.
the `<clustername>_audit.log` file in the logs directory. To maintain
compatibility with releases prior to 6.5.0, another file `<clustername>_access.log`
is also generated next to it. They differ in the output format but the contents
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are similar. For systems that are not ingesting the audit file for search or
analytics it is strongly recommended to only keep the newer format.
Turning off the deprecated output format can be achieved by disabling the logger
in the `log4j2.properties` file in `ES_PATH_CONF` (hint: there is a config comment
about it).
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[float]
[[audit-log-entry-format]]
=== Log entry format

The format of a log entry is:
This is describing the format for log entries as they are appended to the
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new `<clustername>_audit.log` file.
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- Each log entry is a one line JSON document and each one is printed on a separate line.
- The fields of a log entry are ordered. However, if a field does not have a value it
will not be printed. The precise line pattern, together with the complete field
order, are specified in the `log4j2.properties` config file.
- The log entry does not contain nested inner JSON objects, i.e. the doc is flat.
- The field names follow a dotted notation to flatten inner objects.
- A field's value can be a string, a number or an array of strings.
- A field's value, a request body as well, will be escaped as per the JSON RFC 4627.

There is a list of <<audit-event-types, audit event types>> specifying the
set of fields for each sog entry type.

[float]
[[deprecated-audit-log-entry-format]]
=== Deprecated log entry format

This is the format for a log entries as appended to `<clustername>_access.log`:
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[source,txt]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -48,8 +74,14 @@ audited in plain text when including the request body in audit events.
[[logging-file]]
You can also configure how the logfile is written in the `log4j2.properties`
file located in `ES_PATH_CONF`. By default, audit information is appended to the
`<clustername>_access.log` file located in the standard Elasticsearch `logs` directory
`<clustername>_audit.log` file located in the standard Elasticsearch `logs` directory
(typically located at `$ES_HOME/logs`). The file rolls over on a daily basis.
The deprecated logfile audit format (`<clustername>_access.log`) can be disabled
from the same `log4j2.properties` file (hint: look for the comment
instructing to set the log level to `off`). The deprecated format is a duplication
of information that is in place to assure backwards compatibility. If you are
not strict about the audit format it is strongly recommended to only use the
`<clustername>_audit.log` log appender.

[float]
[[audit-log-ignore-policy]]
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15 changes: 11 additions & 4 deletions x-pack/docs/en/security/auditing/overview.asciidoc
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Expand Up @@ -16,11 +16,18 @@ must set `xpack.security.audit.enabled` to `true` in `elasticsearch.yml`.
{Security} provides two ways to persist audit logs:

* The <<audit-log-output, `logfile`>> output, which persists events to
a dedicated `<clustername>_access.log` file on the host's file system.
* The <<audit-index, `index`>> output, which persists events to an Elasticsearch index.
The audit index can reside on the same cluster, or a separate cluster.
a dedicated `<clustername>_audit.log` file on the host's file system.
For backwards compatibility reasons, a file named `<clustername>_access.log`
is also generated. This has a format compatible to the one in releases prior
to 6.5.0. Between the two, the contents are identical, therefore it is recommended
to disable the `<clustername>_access.log` output. For this, turn off the
logger in the `log4j2.properties` config file from `ES_PATH_CONF`. (hint: look
out for a comment in the config file).
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This might be too much information for such a high-level introductory page. i.e. since it's covered in the linked logfile page, I think you could just cut off after the "...is also generated" sentence.

* The <<audit-index, `index`>> output, which persists events to an Elasticsearch
index. The audit index can reside on the same cluster, or a separate cluster.

By default, only the `logfile` output is used when enabling auditing.
By default, only the `logfile` output is used when enabling auditing,
implicitly outputing to both `<clustername>_audit.log` and `<clustername>_access.log`.
To facilitate browsing and analyzing the events, you can also enable
indexing by setting `xpack.security.audit.outputs` in `elasticsearch.yml`:

Expand Down