A Linux and Cybersecurity expert in Australia. RHCE, Linux+, Sec+, CySA+, SecurityX, CISM, CRISC
All HowTo's Linux Redhat, Fedora and CentOS Linux Ubuntu, Mint & Debian Linux Windows

NXLog Example Configuration File – Sending Logs From Windows to Syslog in JSON Format

This article explains how to send logs from Windows systems to Syslog servers using NXLog (community edition). In this case we’re sending to Syslog listening on TCP. NXLog is easy enough to install but the configuration process is not so easy. Because Windows EventLog uses many more fields than Syslog,

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All HowTo's Linux Redhat, Fedora and CentOS Linux Synology Ubuntu, Mint & Debian Linux

Comparing Syslog Formats – BSD RFC3164 vs IETF RFC5424

This article compares the two Syslog formats. If you can’t decide, consider “IETF RFC 5424”. This article compares two log entries using different Syslog formats. The event is the same for both entries – logging into a Synology server’s web portal. The user “agix” is logging in from host “10.1.1.100”.

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All HowTo's Kubernetes & Docker Linux Redhat, Fedora and CentOS Linux Ubuntu, Mint & Debian Linux

Running LogStash in Docker

This is a short HowTo for running LogStash in Docker. We’re using Ubuntu 22.04. Install Docker and create our directory structure: apt install docker docker.io mkdir ~/logstash mkdir ~/logstash/config/ ~/logstash/pipeline/ Create the Dockerfile file “~/Dockerfile”: # The image to use: FROM docker.elastic.co/logstash/logstash:8.15.0 # Remove the pre-existing config file from within

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All HowTo's Cybersecurity

Android VPN (Always On) with pfSense

This article shows the settings on the pfSense and Android device for the always on IPSec VPN. The best article to start with is “https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/recipes/ipsec-mobile-ikev2-client-android.html”. Then compare your settings to those on this page if you need more help than the linked article provides. The VPN cryptographic settings are: Phase

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All HowTo's Cybersecurity Linux Ubuntu, Mint & Debian Linux

Installing Graylog Open on Ubuntu 22.04

This article is a walkthrough for installing “Graylog Open 6” and leverages the documentation at “https://go2docs.graylog.org/current/downloading_and_installing_graylog/ubuntu_installation.html” and “https://www.mongodb.com/docs/manual/tutorial/install-mongodb-on-ubuntu/”. We’re using Ubuntu 22.04 because 24.04 is not supported using the documentation linked above. We’re starting from a fresh “standard” Ubuntu 22.04 installation. Our resources are “4GB RAM, 8 CPU Cores, 25GB

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Case Study

High Performance Health Services Database

Case Study – Boosting performance of a customer management system and hardening systems to improve the cybersecurity posture. A client recently approached us looking for a way to improve the performance of their client management solution (CMS). Staff were complaining of long wait times for reports, slow responses while navigating

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All HowTo's Cybersecurity pfSense & Netgate

pfBlockerNG and Whitelisting Internal Source Addresses – pfSense

This article explains a method of whitelisting one or more devices on your internal network so that pfBlockerNG doesn’t block those devices/servers due to any configured restrictions. For example, you might block a country using pfBlockerNG’s GeoIP filtering, but you may need one of your internal devices to be able

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All HowTo's Cybersecurity pfSense & Netgate

pfSense Cannot allocate memory with pfBlockerNG – Firewall Rules Not Working

This article discusses the cause and solution to the error message “Cannot allocate memory” relating to pfBlockerBG. In this scenario, we’re using a Netgate 2100 Base firewall appliance. The firewall was receiving the following error message when reloading the filter rules (in “Status – Filter Reload“). There were error(s) loading

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