NXLog Docs

Microsoft Windows

NXLog can collect various types of system logs on the Windows platform. For deployment details, see the supported Windows platforms and Windows installation. Notes are also available about hardening and monitoring NXLog on Windows.

Custom Programs

The im_exec module allows log data to be collected from custom external programs. The im_perl and im_python modules can also be used to implement integration with custom data sources or sources that are not supported out-of-the-box.

DHCP Monitoring

DHCP logging can be set up for Collect logs from Windows DHCP server using the im_file module by reading DHCP audit logs directly from CSV files. Alternatively, the im_msvistalog module can be used to collect DHCP Server or Client event logs from the built-in channels in Windows Event Log.

DNS Monitoring

DNS logging can be set up for Collect logs from Windows DNS Server using either ETW tracing or debug logging.

File Integrity Monitoring

File and directory changes can be detected and logged for auditing with the im_fim module. See File Integrity Monitoring on Windows.

Log Databases

Events can be read from databases with the im_odbc module. Some products write logs to SQL Server databases; see the Microsoft System Center Operations Manager section for an example.

Log Files

The im_file module can be used to collect events from log files.

Microsoft Active Directory Domain Controller

Troubleshoot Active Directory domain controllers by integrating DCs as log sources.

Microsoft Exchange

Logs generated by Microsoft Exchange can be used as a source for log collection with many Exchange log types supported.

Microsoft IIS

IIS logs can be configured to be written in W3C format, which can be read with im_file and parsed with xm_w3c or xm_csv. Other formats can be parsed with other methods. See Microsoft IIS.

Microsoft .NET applications

Capture logs directly from Microsoft .NET applications using third-party utilities.

Microsoft SharePoint

Collect the various types of SharePoint logs generated by Microsoft SharePoint, parse the ULS into another format, and send.

Microsoft SQL Server

Log messages can be collected from the Microsoft SQL Server error log files with the im_file module. See Collect logs from Microsoft SQL Server.

Microsoft System Center Operations Manager (SCOM)

Logs recorded in Microsoft System Center Operations Manager databases can be collected with the im_odbc module.

Registry Monitoring

The Windows Registry can be monitored for changes; see the im_regmon module. For an example ruleset, see the regmon-rules add-on.

Snare

Windows Event Log data can be converted to Snare format as needed for some third-party integrations.

Sysmon

Many additional audit logs can be generated with the Sysmon utility, including process creation, system driver loading, network connections, and modification of file creation timestamps. These events are written to the Windows Event Log. See the Sysmon section for more information.

Windows Applocker

Collecting event logs from Windows AppLocker is supported by using the im_msvistalog or the other Collecting logs from Windows Event Log modules.

Event Tracing for Windows (ETW)

Events logged through ETW can be collected with the im_etw module. This includes events logged to the Analytical and Debug logs.

Windows Event Log

See the Collecting logs from Windows Event Log section, which covers both local and remote event collection with the im_msvistalog, im_wseventing, and im_mseventlog modules.

Windows Firewall

Windows Firewall logs can be collected with the im_file module from the Advanced Security log. Alternatively, the im_msvistalog module can be used to collect Window Firewall events from Windows Event Log.

Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)

WMI event logs can be read directly from Windows Event Log by using the im_msvistalog module. WMI events can also be collected via ETW directly using the im_etw module. Reading WMI log files utilizing the im_file module is also supported.

Windows Performance Counters

The im_winperfcount module can be used for collecting data such as CPU and memory usage.

Windows Powershell

PowerShell scripts can be integrated for log processing tasks and configuration generation. See Using PowerShell scripts. It is also possible to collect Powershell activity logs.