How to Send Logs from Kali Linux to Nagios Log Server

Sending logs from a Kali Linux system to Nagios Log Server involves configuring your Kali system to forward its logs to the NLS instance. This process ensures that all relevant log data from your Kali Linux system is collected, monitored, and analyzed by the Nagios Log Server, providing comprehensive insights into system activities and potential security events. Here is a detailed breakdown of how to send logs from Kali Linux to Nagios Log Server.

Prerequisites

Here is what you need before you begin:

• A system running Kali Linux
• Nagios Log Server instance to access the web interface
• Root or sudo access for advanced operations
• Internet access to download packages

Step 1: Install Rsyslog

Open the terminal and update your packages, and then install rsyslog, which is typically used for log management.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install rsyslog

Step 2: Configure the Rsyslog File

Configure rsyslog by editing the rsyslog configuration file in /etc/rsyslog.conf.

sudo nano /etc/rsyslog.conf

Add the following lines to the end of the file; switch nagios_log_server_ip with the IP address of your Nagios Log Server.

*.* @nagios_log_server_ip:5544

Save your file and restart rsyslog.

sudo systemctl restart rsyslog

Step 3. Add a New Log Source in Nagios Log Server

Boot up a browser and login to your Nagios Log Server web interface.

From the homepage, click + Linux to configure your logs.

On the Linux configuration page, Nagios Log Server provides a setup script to configure rsyslog from the box below.

Run the setup using curl and execute the downloaded script to configure rsyslog. Change <your-nagios-log-server-address> to your IP address of your Nagios Log Server.

curl -sS -O http://<your-nagios-log-server-address>/nagioslogserver/scripts/setup-linux.sh

sudo bash setup-linux.sh -s <your-nagios-log-server-address> -p 5544

Put your Kali Linux IP address and check if the logs are being sent to the Nagios Log Server.

Step 4: Verify the Logs from the Dashboard

Navigate to the Nagios Log Server dashboard by clicking the four squares icon. Verify that logs from your Kali Linux machine are being received by running a query for its IP address.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can efficiently send logs from Kali Linux to Nagios Log Server, centralizing your log data for easier monitoring and analysis. This setup helps you track system events, troubleshoot issues, and maintain a secure network environment. If you have additional questions or other support-related questions, please visit us at our Nagios Support Forum, Nagios Knowledge Base, or Nagios Library.