SyslogSender configuration file


The SyslogSender configuration file is named sender.cnf and is located in the same Windows folder as the SyslogSender executable. You can specify most options in the configuration file or via command line. Options specified on the command line override options specified in the configuration file. The configuration file has the same format and constraints as the SyslogDefender configuration file described in Customizing-after-installation, except that the SyslogSender configuration file does not use stanzas.

The following example displays a valid SyslogSender configuration file:

# Configuration file for SyslogSender


# basic Syslog fields

severity  = info
facility  = mail
header    = no
framing   = crlf


# address and transport
address   = localhost
transport = tcp
port      = 1468            # for TCP/IP

The following table provides a detailed description of the various options:

Configuration File Option

Command Line Switch

Default

Description

help

?

false

Produces the help display

number

#

false

Appends repetition number, #nnnnn to each message

allow_self

a

false

Specifies whether self-signed server certificates should be accepted from the session partner

Self-signed certificates provide encryption, but not authentication. If you specify (or allow to default) allow_self=false, then you must specify a ca_file value.

address

A

localhost

Specifies the IP address of the message destination

Specify a host name or an address in standard IPv4 dotted format (such as 262.35.1.80) or in IPv6 colon format (such as fe80::d932:83b4:a032:eea3). You can also add a port number preceded by a colon, with no embedded spaces. If you specify a port number with an IPv6 colon-format address, then you must enclose the address in square brackets (such as [fe80::d932:83b4:a032:eea3]:1514).

The port number must be an integer from 1 though 65535. If you specify a port on both the address option and the port option, then the address port value is used.

buffersize

b

1024

Buffer size (length) for infile and stdin - maximum record length

certificate

c

 

Specifies the name of any client certificate file (in PEM format)

ca_file

C

 

Specifies the name of the CA certificate file (in PEM format)

This value is required for non-self-signed server certificates

debug

d

false

Issues debugging messages.

ciphers

e

ALL:!LOW:!MD5: @STRENGTH

Specifies the acceptable ciphers

The default specifies all ciphers, but not the low cipher suites (56 or 64 bits) and not MD5 (that has a well-known flaw). List ciphers in order of strength.

For more information, see https://www.openssl.org/docs/manmaster/man1/ciphers.html#CIPHER_LIST_FORMAT.

infile

f

 

Inputs the file of messages to send

facility

F

user

Specifies the syslog facility by facility code (from 0 to 23) or by keyword (such as kern, user, mail)

go

g

false

Sends a message despite no (other) command-line arguments

header

h

3164

RFC header type if any: none, 3164 or 5424 (can be abbreviated to one character)

IP

i

 

Protocol: 4 (IPv4) or 6 (IPv6)

keyfile

k

 

Specifies the name of the Private Key file (in PEM format) corresponding to the client certificate file

framing

l

O

Specifies how to frame or separate syslog messages within a single TCP/IP session

If SyslogSender sends messages to SyslogDefender, specify the octet (or another framing method that you have to test). Otherwise, specify the framing convention required by the destination syslog collector. For more information, see Framing-characters.

delay

m

0.0

Specifies the delay between messages in decimal seconds: 0.0 to 9999

message

M

This is a test message from SyslogSender

Specifies the message to send

repeat

n

1

Specifies the number of times to repeat the message or messages

pace

P

0 0

Specifies the maximum number of messages to send as m messages every n seconds

For example, specifying pace = 100 2 tells SyslogDefender not to transmit more than 100 messages every 2 seconds.

port

p

514 (UDP), 1468 (TCP) or 6514 (TLS)

Specifies the port to which SyslogSender has to send

If you specify a port on both the address option and the port option, then the address port value is used.

quiet

q

false

Quiet operation, no routine messages

This option is overridden by the debug option.

reconnect

r

0

Disconnect and reconnect TCP session after every n messages

crl

R

NA

Specifies the name of any certificate revocation list file (in PEM format)

stdin

s

NA

Gets messages from stdin (overridden by infile)

severity

S

debug

Severity:

  • NO
  • 0 EMERGENCY
  • 1 ALERT
  • 2 CRITical
  • 3 ERROR
  • 4 WARNing
  • 5 NOTICE
  • 6 INFOrmational
  • 7 DEBUG

The severity is not case sensitive and you can abbreviate values with the capitalized portion. NO means no priority at all, and you can use this to code your own valid or invalid priority as part of the message text.

transport

t

UDP

Transport: TCP or UDP (can be abbreviated to one letter)

verify_cert

v

true

Specifies whether SyslogSender is to verify the server certificate

If you specify (or allow to default) verify_cert=true, then expired certificates and self-signed certificates (regardless of the setting of allow_self) are rejected. Certificates listed in any CRL are always rejected, whether verify_cert is true or false.

verify_name

V

true

Specifies whether SyslogSender is to validate the host name or IP address against the common name (CN) or X.509v3 Subject Alternative Names (including any wildcard) specified in the server-presented certificate

Specify (or allow to default) verify_name=true for server authentication, and to protect against rogue session routing and man-in-the-middle attacks. For more information, see Certificate-name-wildcards.

wait

w

5

Seconds to wait between TCP/IP retries

password

W

 

BMC recommends against using private key passwords because for unattended programs (such as SyslogDefender) the password must be stored in a file.

The password option is provided as an accommodation if your private key is password-protected.

security

y

SSLv3 TLSv1

Specifies the SSL, TLS, or both protocol versions to be supported

BMC recommends against using SSLv2 because SSLv2 has significant security weaknesses.

 

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