How to use the security audit function of CentOS system to track system activities

How to use the security audit function of CentOS system to track system activities

Introduction:
In today's digital age, protecting the security of computer systems has become increasingly important. As a widely used operating system, CentOS provides many security audit functions that can help administrators track system activities and ensure system security. This article will introduce in detail how to use the security audit function of CentOS system to track system activities, and attach relevant code examples.

1. Overview of Security Audit
Security audit is a process of monitoring and recording computer system activities. Through security audits, administrators can identify security issues and potential threats in the system and take appropriate measures to protect the security of the system and data.

2. Security audit function of CentOS system
CentOS system provides a variety of security audit functions, including logging, system monitoring, event tracking, etc. The following are several commonly used security audit functions:

1. System logging
   The CentOS system uses the syslog service to record the system's running logs. Syslog log files are usually stored in the /var/log directory. Administrators can track system activity and detect abnormal events by viewing syslog log files.
2. Security log file
   The CentOS system also provides a security log file (secure log) to record system security-related activities. Security log files are usually stored in the /var/log/secure directory. Administrators can track important security events such as system logins and user permission changes by viewing security log files.
3. Auditd service
   Auditd is a powerful security audit tool for CentOS systems. It can monitor and record various activities of the system, such as file access, network connections, process execution, etc. By configuring auditd rules, administrators can customize audit requirements and conduct system security analysis based on audit records.

3. Use the Auditd service to track system activities
The following are the steps to use the Auditd service to track system activities:

1. Install the Auditd service
   To install the Auditd service on a CentOS system, you can use the following command:

   sudo yum install audit

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2. Configuring the Auditd service
   Configure the parameters of the Auditd service in the /etc/audit/auditd.conf file. For example, you can specify the storage location of audit log files, audit rules, etc.

3. Start the Auditd service
   Use the following command to start the Auditd service:

   sudo systemctl start auditd

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4. Configure audit rules
   In /etc/audit/rules.d Create an audit rule file in the directory. For example, you can create a file called myrules.rules and define audit rules in it. The following is an example audit rule:

   -w /etc/passwd -p wra -k passwd_changes

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   This rule will monitor the writing, reading, attribute changes and access of the /etc/passwd file, and mark relevant events as "passwd_changes".

5. Reload audit rules
   Use the following command to reload the audit rules:

   sudo augenrules --load

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6. View the audit log
   Use the following command to view Audit log:

   sudo ausearch -f /etc/passwd

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   This command will display audit events related to the /etc/passwd file.

4. Summary
Using the security audit function of the CentOS system can help administrators track system activities and ensure system security. Administrators can use features such as system logging, security log files, and the Auditd service to monitor system activity and identify potential security issues.

In this article, we introduce in detail how to use the Auditd service to track system activities and provide relevant code examples. I hope this information will be helpful to you in protecting the security of your CentOS system.

Reference materials:

1. CentOS official documentation: https://docs.centos.org/en-US/8-docs/monitoring-console/authentication-and-authorization/ authentication/
2. Auditd official document: https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/7/html/security_guide/sec-keeping_audit_records --- Please check the relevant information yourself to understand More features and usage of Auditd.

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