ausearch_add_expression - Linux

Overview

ausearch_add_expression is a utility that allows you to add new search expressions to the audit search framework. These expressions can be used to filter the results of ausearch and other tools that rely on the audit search framework.

Syntax

ausearch_add_expression [options] <expression>

Options/Flags

  • -n, –name : Specify a name for the new expression.
  • -d, –description : Provide a description for the new expression.
  • -t, –type : Set the type of the new expression. Valid options are:
    • regex: A regular expression.
    • glob: A glob pattern.
    • literal: A literal string.
  • -e, –exclude: Set the expression to be an exclusion expression. By default, expressions are inclusion expressions.

Examples

The following command adds a new regular expression expression to the audit search framework:

ausearch_add_expression --name 'my_expression' --description 'My custom expression' --type 'regex' '.*my_pattern.*'

The following command adds a new glob expression to the audit search framework:

ausearch_add_expression --name 'my_expression' --description 'My custom expression' --type 'glob' '*.txt'

The following command adds a new literal expression to the audit search framework:

ausearch_add_expression --name 'my_expression' --description 'My custom expression' --type 'literal' 'my_string'

These expressions can then be used to filter the results of ausearch and other tools that rely on the audit search framework. For example, the following command uses the my_expression expression to filter the results of ausearch:

ausearch --expression 'my_expression'

Common Issues

One common issue when using ausearch_add_expression is specifying an invalid expression. Make sure that the expression you specify is valid for the type of expression you are creating.

Integration

ausearch_add_expression can be combined with other Linux commands and tools to create powerful auditing solutions. For example, you can use ausearch_add_expression to create custom expressions that can be used to filter the results of log analysis tools such as grep and sed.

Related Commands

  • ausearch – Search for audit events in the Linux audit log.
  • aureport – Generate reports from audit events.
  • ausearch_query – Query the audit search framework.