Facing the intricate challenge of efficiently managing logs and gaining insights into your system’s activities? Enter the Snare Syslog Agent — your ally in the realm of IT operations. Whether you’re a seasoned IT pro or just venturing into the world of log management, the struggle is real, and Snare Syslog Agent is the solution you didn’t know you needed.
By the end of this tutorial, you won’t just be dealing with logs; you’ll be orchestrating a symphony of system insights.
Turn those log-related headaches into a thing of the past!
Prerequisites
Before you begin setting up the Snare Syslog Agent, ensure you have the following in place to follow along in this tutorial:
- A machine running a Windows Operating System – This tutorial uses Windows 10 Pro v21H2 build 19044.1889.
- Administrative access to your Windows machine.
- A centralized Syslog server or Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) software installed – This tutorial uses Syslog Watcher Manager 6.5.5.
Downloading and Installing the Snare Syslog Agent on Windows
You’ve already ensured your system meets the prerequisites for a seamless integration. Now, it’s time to shine a light on a crucial step – downloading and installing the Snare Syslog Agent.
To install the Snare Syslog Agent on your Windows, follow these steps:
1. Open your preferred web browser, visit the official Snare Syslog Agent download page,
2. Next, click Try Snare Free (top-right) to register for a trial of the Snare Syslog Agent.
3. Fill out the form provided to register an account and request a Snare Syslog Agent 30-day free trial. An email will be sent to you containing the link to your free trial.
4. Now, open the email you received, and click ACCESS YOUR FREE TRIAL to open the download page to your free trial.
5. On the Snare evaluations download page, select your preferred Snare Agent (i.e., Snare Enterprise for Windows) and click Download to download the installer.
6. Double-click on the downloaded installer executable file to start the installation process.
7. In the welcome screen, select Next to continue with the installation process.
8. Next, review the End User License Agreement (EULA) and click Accept to continue.
9. Choose either of the following Installation Options, depending on your preferences:
- Quick – Allows you to run the agent quickly, enabling the web UI with default settings.
- Advanced – Allows you to customize the agent for your environment.
But for this tutorial, choose the Advanced option and click Next.
10. Configure Snare Auditing with the following:
- Select Yes to allow Snare Agent to configure the audit settings of the local machine automatically to match the configured objectives.
- Tick the For all events box to enable the auditing for all events, such as System Audit, Logon Audit, and Account Logon Audit.
Once configured, click Next to continue with the installation.
11. Choose the Use System Account option for the service account the Snare agent will operate on, and click Next.
12. Select a license to activate your Snare Syslog Agent, and click Next to continue.
Snare license files are found in the Snare installation folder.
13. Configure (optional) the Network Destination for the Snare Syslog Agent by using the following options:
- Destination address – Provide the hostname or IP address.
- Port – Configure the port settings. For example, Snare Server users should only send events to port 6161 in native UDP or TCP, or 6163 for TLS/SSL, and Syslog via port 514.
- Protocol – Select a network protocol (UDP, TCP, TLS, or TLS_AUTH) that the agent will use when sending events.
- Tick the box at the bottom to Use Host IP Address Override for source address. This option sets the Snare Agent to choose the first network adapter as the source of the IP address.
Once configured, click Next to continue with the installation.
14. Set the Snare Syslog Agent web user interface (UI) as follows:
- Enable Web Access – Tick this option, which enables the Snare Syslog Agent web UI. Otherwise, all configuration changes must be made by directly modifying the registry settings. Also, the service must be restarted for any changes to take effect.
- Yes – Please enter a password – Choose this option and provide a username/password combination for accessing the web UI. Note that the user is always ‘snare’ (without quotes).
💡 Alternatively, choose the No – Disable password option, which sets the web UI to operate without a password. This option allows unauthenticated access to the configuration options.
15. Select the destination folder to install the Snare Syslog Agent, and click Next to confirm.
💡 Note: Regularly monitor the disk space usage on the machine where the agent is installed to avoid log file overflow.
16. Choose the program group within the Start Menu to create a shortcut for the Snare Syslog Agent’s remote control web UI.
17. Now, click Next to install the Snare Syslog Agent with your selected configurations.
18. Lastly, click Finish after installation to close the Setup wizard.
Configuring the Snare Syslog Agent
Having successfully installed the Snare Syslog Agent, you can now focus on ensuring your Syslog setup aligns seamlessly with your system’s unique needs. You’ll configure your Snare Syslog Agent for an optimized logging mechanism that enhances your system’s visibility and operational efficiency.
To configure your Snare Syslog Agent, proceed with the following:
1. Open a new tab on your web browser and visit https://localhost:6161/ to launch the Snare Syslog Agent web UI from your local machine.
2. Next, click Advanced, then Accept the Risk and Continue when prompted about the security warning below to continue accessing the Snare Syslog Agent web UI.
This warning is due to the use of a self-signed certificate. But despite this warning, you can safely access the Snare Syslog Agent web UI.
💡 If you have any concerns or are working in a production environment, consider obtaining and installing a valid SSL/TLS certificate. That way, you ensure a secure connection without encountering these warnings.
3. Provide the username (snare) and password you set while installing the Snare Syslog Agent.
4. Once logged in, navigate to Destination Configuration (left-pane) in the main interface and configure the Network Destinations as follows:
- Domain / IP and Port – Provide the IP address (i.e., 192.168.86.1) and port number (i.e., 514) of your Syslog Server or SIEM system where you want to forward the logs.
- Protocol – Specify the protocol for the log transmission as either UDP or TCP. This example uses the UDP protocol.
- Format – Set the event log format style as either Snare or Syslog (i.e., Syslog) for the logs.
This configuration is crucial for effective log management and analysis. Moreover, this configuration ensures relevant logs are directed to the appropriate destinations for security and compliance purposes.
💡 Tip: Enable encryption (TLS/SSL) if your Syslog server or SIEM system supports it to ensure secure log data transmission.
Defining Sources for Collecting and Forwarding Event Logs
Moving on from configuring your Snare Syslog Agent, you must ensure critical data flows seamlessly into your infrastructure. How? You’ll define sources from which your Snare Syslog Agent collects and forwards event logs.
To specify which event logs to collect and forward, carry out the following:
1. In the Snare Syslog Agent web UI, navigate to Audit Policy Configuration (left-pane), scroll down, and click Add Audit Policy to add a new event log source.
2. Next, specify which event logs to collect and set any additional filtering options in the Identify the high level event section.
In this case, set to monitor any USB event on your Windows machine.
3. Scroll down and set the rest of the configuration as follows:
- Identify the event types to be captured – Tick the Information box to capture events with an informational severity level.
- Identify log sources to capture events from – Select your desired event log(s) from the list, like Application, Security, Information, or System. This example’s choice is the Custom Event Log to capture all USB events as Information event logs.
- Select the Alert Level – Choose the following options to determine the severity level of captured and forwarded events.
| Alert Level | Details |
|---|---|
| Snare – Information | Snare captures and forwards events with an information severity level. Informational events are typically routine notifications or reports that signify normal operation. These events might not indicate issues or problems but are rather informative. |
| Syslog – Info | Events forwarded to the syslog server will have an informational severity level. Like Snare’s Information, Syslog Info events are typically non-critical messages that provide general information about the system’s operation. |
Once configured, click Change Configuration to confirm your changes.
💡 Note: Consider selecting only the event logs relevant to your monitoring needs. Collecting unnecessary logs can lead to increased storage and network overhead.
4. Now, repeat all steps in this section if you wish to add additional event log sources.
Testing and Verifying Log Forwarding
After all the meticulous configurations, you must ensure the orchestrated symphony of syslog data flows seamlessly from the designated sources. This step is crucial to put the Snare Syslog Agent through its paces.
You’ll verify that your log forwarding setup is functional and optimally tuned to capture the nuances of your system.
To test and verify your log forwarding configurations, complete the steps below:
1. Open PowerShell as administrator and execute the New-NetFirewallRule command to add a new firewall. This command adds a new Inbound rule named Syslog Port to Allow traffic on UDP port 514, commonly used for the Syslog service.
Adding this inbound rule ensures that the Snare Syslog Agent can securely and resiliently communicate with your Syslog Server or SIEM system.
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Syslog Port" -Direction Inbound -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 514 -Action Allow
2. Next, generate some test events where the Snare Syslog Agent is installed on your machine.
In this example, the generated event is where a malfunctioned flash drive has been inserted into the system.
3. Navigate to the Latest Events tab in the web UI to monitor the generated event log.
Note the Event Count (i.e., 731664) from the latest log, as you’ll need it in the following step.
4. Finally, monitor your Syslog Server or SIEM system for the arrival of the forwarded log with the exact Event Count (i.e., 731664) and its details.
Verify that the forwarded logs contain the expected event information, including the correct facility, severity, and log message. In this case, the forwarded log above includes information like that generated from the Snare Syslog Agent.
💡 Tip: Periodically review the logs on the syslog server or SIEM system to detect potential issues and ensure reliable log forwarding. These issues include but are not limited to network connectivity problems or log format discrepancies.
Conclusion
Through this tutorial, you’ve successfully set up and configured the Snare Syslog Agent for collecting and forwarding event logs. You’ve gained the skills to orchestrate a robust syslog infrastructure that enhances visibility, monitors critical events, and fortifies your system’s security.
As you reflect on your learning, explore advanced customization by refining log formats to extract more meaningful information. Why not dive deeper into security configurations by implementing encryption for heightened data protection?
Seize the opportunity to specialize and optimize your Syslog setup for a tailored, efficient, and secure logging ecosystem!
