---
title: Ensure rsyslog Does Not Accept Remote Messages Unless Acting As Log Server
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Datadog Security > OOTB Rules > Ensure rsyslog Does Not Accept Remote
  Messages Unless Acting As Log Server
---

# Ensure rsyslog Does Not Accept Remote Messages Unless Acting As Log Server
 
## Description{% #description %}

The `rsyslog` daemon should not accept remote messages unless the system acts as a log server. To ensure that it is not listening on the network, ensure any of the following lines are *not* found in `rsyslog` configuration files. If using legacy syntax:

```
$ModLoad imtcp
$InputTCPServerRun port
$ModLoad imudp
$UDPServerRun port
$ModLoad imrelp
$InputRELPServerRun port
        
```

If using RainerScript syntax:

```gdscript3
module(load="imtcp")
module(load="imudp")
input(type="imtcp" port="514")
input(type="imudp" port="514")
```

## Rationale{% #rationale %}

Any process which receives messages from the network incurs some risk of receiving malicious messages. This risk can be eliminated for rsyslog by configuring it not to listen on the network.

## Remediation{% #remediation %}

### Shell script{% #shell-script %}

The following script can be run on the host to remediate the issue.

```bash
#!/bin/bash

# Remediation is applicable only in certain platforms
if dpkg-query --show --showformat='${db:Status-Status}' 'linux-base' 2>/dev/null | grep -q '^installed$' && { ! ( ! (systemctl is-active rsyslog &>/dev/null) ); }; then

legacy_regex='^\s*\$(((Input(TCP|RELP)|UDP)ServerRun)|ModLoad\s+(imtcp|imudp|imrelp))'
rainer_regex='^\s*(module|input)\((load|type)="(imtcp|imudp)".*$'

readarray -t legacy_targets < <(grep -l -E -r "${legacy_regex[@]}" /etc/rsyslog.conf /etc/rsyslog.d/)
readarray -t rainer_targets < <(grep -l -E -r "${rainer_regex[@]}" /etc/rsyslog.conf /etc/rsyslog.d/)

config_changed=false
if [ ${#legacy_targets[@]} -gt 0 ]; then
    for target in "${legacy_targets[@]}"; do
        sed -E -i "/$legacy_regex/ s/^/# /" "$target"
    done
    config_changed=true
fi

if [ ${#rainer_targets[@]} -gt 0 ]; then
    for target in "${rainer_targets[@]}"; do
        sed -E -i "/$rainer_regex/ s/^/# /" "$target"
    done
    config_changed=true
fi

if $config_changed; then
    systemctl restart rsyslog.service
fi

else
    >&2 echo 'Remediation is not applicable, nothing was done'
fi
```

### Ansible playbook{% #ansible-playbook %}

The following playbook can be run with Ansible to remediate the issue.

```gdscript3
- name: Gather the package facts
  package_facts:
    manager: auto
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(b)
  - configure_strategy
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - rsyslog_nolisten

- name: Ensure rsyslog Does Not Accept Remote Messages Unless Acting As Log Server
    - Define Rsyslog Config Lines Regex in Legacy Syntax
  ansible.builtin.set_fact:
    rsyslog_listen_legacy_regex: ^\s*\$(((Input(TCP|RELP)|UDP)ServerRun)|ModLoad\s+(imtcp|imudp|imrelp))
  when: '"linux-base" in ansible_facts.packages'
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(b)
  - configure_strategy
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - rsyslog_nolisten

- name: Ensure rsyslog Does Not Accept Remote Messages Unless Acting As Log Server
    - Search for Legacy Config Lines in Rsyslog Main Config File
  ansible.builtin.find:
    paths: /etc
    pattern: rsyslog.conf
    contains: '{{ rsyslog_listen_legacy_regex }}'
  register: rsyslog_listen_legacy_main_file
  when: '"linux-base" in ansible_facts.packages'
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(b)
  - configure_strategy
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - rsyslog_nolisten

- name: Ensure rsyslog Does Not Accept Remote Messages Unless Acting As Log Server
    - Search for Legacy Config Lines in Rsyslog Include Files
  ansible.builtin.find:
    paths: /etc/rsyslog.d/
    pattern: '*.conf'
    contains: '{{ rsyslog_listen_legacy_regex }}'
  register: rsyslog_listen_legacy_include_files
  when: '"linux-base" in ansible_facts.packages'
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(b)
  - configure_strategy
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - rsyslog_nolisten

- name: Ensure rsyslog Does Not Accept Remote Messages Unless Acting As Log Server
    - Assemble List of Config Files With Listen Lines in Legacy Syntax
  ansible.builtin.set_fact:
    rsyslog_legacy_remote_listen_files: '{{ rsyslog_listen_legacy_main_file.files
      | map(attribute=''path'') | list + rsyslog_listen_legacy_include_files.files
      | map(attribute=''path'') | list }}'
  when: '"linux-base" in ansible_facts.packages'
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(b)
  - configure_strategy
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - rsyslog_nolisten

- name: Ensure rsyslog Does Not Accept Remote Messages Unless Acting As Log Server
    - Comment Listen Config Lines Wherever Defined Using Legacy Syntax
  ansible.builtin.replace:
    path: '{{ item }}'
    regexp: '{{ rsyslog_listen_legacy_regex }}'
    replace: '# \1'
  loop: '{{ rsyslog_legacy_remote_listen_files }}'
  register: rsyslog_listen_legacy_comment
  when:
  - '"linux-base" in ansible_facts.packages'
  - rsyslog_legacy_remote_listen_files | length > 0
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(b)
  - configure_strategy
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - rsyslog_nolisten

- name: Ensure rsyslog Does Not Accept Remote Messages Unless Acting As Log Server
    - Define Rsyslog Config Lines Regex in RainerScript Syntax
  ansible.builtin.set_fact:
    rsyslog_listen_rainer_regex: ^\s*(module|input)\((load|type)="(imtcp|imudp)".*$
  when: '"linux-base" in ansible_facts.packages'
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(b)
  - configure_strategy
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - rsyslog_nolisten

- name: Ensure rsyslog Does Not Accept Remote Messages Unless Acting As Log Server
    - Search for RainerScript Config Lines in Rsyslog Main Config File
  ansible.builtin.find:
    paths: /etc
    pattern: rsyslog.conf
    contains: '{{ rsyslog_listen_rainer_regex }}'
  register: rsyslog_rainer_remote_main_file
  when: '"linux-base" in ansible_facts.packages'
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(b)
  - configure_strategy
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - rsyslog_nolisten

- name: Ensure rsyslog Does Not Accept Remote Messages Unless Acting As Log Server
    - Search for RainerScript Config Lines in Rsyslog Include Files
  ansible.builtin.find:
    paths: /etc/rsyslog.d/
    pattern: '*.conf'
    contains: '{{ rsyslog_listen_rainer_regex }}'
  register: rsyslog_rainer_remote_include_files
  when: '"linux-base" in ansible_facts.packages'
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(b)
  - configure_strategy
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - rsyslog_nolisten

- name: Ensure rsyslog Does Not Accept Remote Messages Unless Acting As Log Server
    - Assemble List of Config Files With Listen Lines in RainerScript
  ansible.builtin.set_fact:
    rsyslog_rainer_remote_listen_files: '{{ rsyslog_rainer_remote_main_file.files
      | map(attribute=''path'') | list + rsyslog_rainer_remote_include_files.files
      | map(attribute=''path'') | list }}'
  when: '"linux-base" in ansible_facts.packages'
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(b)
  - configure_strategy
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - rsyslog_nolisten

- name: Ensure rsyslog Does Not Accept Remote Messages Unless Acting As Log Server
    - Comment Listen Config Lines Wherever Defined Using RainerScript
  ansible.builtin.replace:
    path: '{{ item }}'
    regexp: '{{ rsyslog_listen_rainer_regex }}'
    replace: '# \1'
  loop: '{{ rsyslog_rainer_remote_listen_files }}'
  register: rsyslog_listen_rainer_comment
  when:
  - '"linux-base" in ansible_facts.packages'
  - rsyslog_rainer_remote_listen_files | length > 0
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(b)
  - configure_strategy
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - rsyslog_nolisten

- name: Ensure rsyslog Does Not Accept Remote Messages Unless Acting As Log Server
    - Restart Rsyslog if Any Line Were Commented Out
  ansible.builtin.service:
    name: rsyslog
    state: restarted
  when:
  - '"linux-base" in ansible_facts.packages'
  - rsyslog_listen_legacy_comment is changed or rsyslog_listen_rainer_comment is changed
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(b)
  - configure_strategy
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - rsyslog_nolisten
```