SSH Authentication Failure alert rule

Microsoft.Linux.RHEL.5.LogFile.Syslog.SSHAuth.PAM.Root.Failure.Alert (Rule)

Alert rule for detection of SSH Authentication failures.

Knowledge Base article:

Summary

An SSH authentication failure for the root account has been detected in the system log files.

Causes

A failure may be caused by a mistyped password or an attempt to use an invalid username. However, a persistent failure could be an indication that someone is attempting to gain unauthorized access.

Resolutions

The description of the alert and/or the output data item contains information on the problem encountered. If a failure occurs, check the associated event details and any other events that happened around the time of this failure to diagnose the problem.

Element properties:

TargetMicrosoft.Linux.RHEL.5.Computer
CategoryEventCollection
EnabledTrue
Alert GenerateTrue
Alert SeverityError
Alert PriorityNormal
RemotableTrue
Alert Message
SSH Authentication Failure detected
{0}

Member Modules:

ID Module Type TypeId RunAs 
EventDS DataSource Microsoft.Unix.SCXLog.Privileged.Datasource Default
GenerateAlert WriteAction System.Health.GenerateAlert Default

Source Code:

<Rule ID="Microsoft.Linux.RHEL.5.LogFile.Syslog.SSHAuth.PAM.Root.Failure.Alert" Target="Microsoft.Linux.RHEL.5.Computer" Enabled="true" Remotable="true">
<Category>EventCollection</Category>
<DataSources>
<!-- [TYPE] Redhat5 SSH False -->
<!-- [INPUT] Jul 31 20:06:25 scxcore-rhel50-01 sshd[16764]: Failed password for root from 172.30.181.43 port 2899 ssh2 -->
<!-- [INPUT] Jul 31 20:06:25 scxcore-rhel50-01 sshd[16764]: Failed password for invalid user root from 172.30.181.43 port 2899 ssh2 -->
<!-- [INPUT-MISS] Jul 31 20:06:40 scxcore-rhel50-01 sshd[16766]: Failed password for invalid user kalle from 172.30.181.43 port 2900 ssh2 -->
<!-- [INPUT-MISS] Jul 31 20:06:04 scxcore-rhel50-01 sshd[16762]: Failed password for jonas from 172.30.181.43 port 2898 ssh2 -->
<DataSource ID="EventDS" TypeID="Unix!Microsoft.Unix.SCXLog.Privileged.Datasource">
<Host>$Target/Property[Type="Unix!Microsoft.Unix.Computer"]/PrincipalName$</Host>
<LogFile>/var/log/secure</LogFile>
<RegExpFilter>\s+sshd\[[[:digit:]]+\]: Failed password for (invalid user )?root from \S+</RegExpFilter>
<IndividualAlerts>false</IndividualAlerts>
</DataSource>
</DataSources>
<WriteActions>
<WriteAction ID="GenerateAlert" TypeID="SystemHealth!System.Health.GenerateAlert">
<Priority>1</Priority>
<Severity>2</Severity>
<AlertMessageId>$MPElement[Name="Microsoft.Linux.RHEL.5.LogFile.Syslog.SSHAuth.PAM.Root.Failure.AlertMessage"]$</AlertMessageId>
<AlertParameters>
<AlertParameter1>$Data/EventDescription$</AlertParameter1>
</AlertParameters>
<Suppression>
<SuppressionValue/>
</Suppression>
</WriteAction>
</WriteActions>
</Rule>