UFW logging

UFW logging and monitoring.

Effective logging is essential for maintaining a secure firewall. UFW provides powerful logging capabilities that help you track and respond to security events. This guide shows you how to set up and use UFW logging to protect your server.

We'll walk through enabling UFW logs, analyzing security events, and setting up alerts. You'll learn how to monitor your firewall effectively and respond to potential threats quickly.

Setting up UFW logging

UFW logging is disabled by default to save system resources. Enable it with a simple command: 

sudo ufw logging on

Check your logging status anytime using: 

sudo ufw status verbose

Understanding log levels

UFW offers different logging levels to match your security needs. Choose the right level based on how much detail you need:

  • Low: Records blocked packets that don't match any rule
  • Medium: Logs all blocked packets and allowed packets
  • High: Records all packets with additional details
  • Full: Captures complete packet details (use carefully - generates large logs)

Set your preferred logging level with: 

sudo ufw logging medium

Finding and reading UFW logs

UFW logs are stored in your system log file. Access them at: 

/var/log/ufw.log

View real-time log entries using: 

sudo tail -f /var/log/ufw.log

Analyzing UFW log entries

Each UFW log entry contains vital information about firewall activity. Key components include:

  • Event timestamp
  • Source and destination IP addresses
  • Port numbers used
  • Protocol type (TCP, UDP, etc.)
  • Action taken (BLOCK, ALLOW, etc.)

Search for specific events in your logs using grep: 

sudo grep 'UFW BLOCK' /var/log/ufw.log

Setting up log alerts

Stay informed about important firewall events with automated alerts. Install Logwatch for daily email summaries: 

sudo apt install logwatch

Configure Logwatch to monitor UFW logs by editing: 

sudo nano /etc/logwatch/conf/logwatch.conf

Log management best practices

Follow these guidelines to maintain effective UFW logging:

  • Review logs regularly for unusual patterns
  • Set up log rotation to manage disk space
  • Back up logs to preserve security history
  • Correlate UFW logs with other system logs
  • Use automated tools for log analysis