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    Syslog service in pfSense v2.8.1 often stop itself

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
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    • J Offline
      jrey @stephenw10
      last edited by

      @stephenw10

      wasn't suggesting a "patch" in the current "pf"sense of a patch

      On the other hand it is just a binary file, that could be provided and copied into place.

      For those not willing to play with "Alpha" builds the release of 25.07.2 would be a great alternative, rather then having to wait for beta or even final release of 25.11

      Maybe the "patch system" should have the ability to deliver a hot fix for certain binaries in the future?
      somewhat surprising that since BSD at the core a patch could be created with bsdiff and bspatch both of which are available and actually installed as part of the package.

      Annoying issues (and not that there are that many, this is one) could likely be fixed by providing this ability to either install a new file or run a binary patch, without having to wait for a full drop of the next version.
      (the problem with patching vs copying, is as we have seen in that past, the files where different in the same "release" from one day to the next. Refresh my memory when was that 23.xx, I'd have to look it up)

      point is when there is a will there is a way..

      S 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • stephenw10S Offline
        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
        last edited by

        Yes we are looking at options.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 4
        • S Offline
          slu @jrey
          last edited by slu

          @jrey years ago there was a p1 release:
          https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/releases/2-3-5-p1.html

          pfSense Gold subscription

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • A Offline
            aclrgt
            last edited by

            Hello,
            I'm experiencing the same problem with a client after updating to 25.07.1
            I can also confirm that the problem occurs because we have a remote syslog server under maintenance.
            Pf's syslogd should continue to work in this scenario.
            I hope a fix is ​​found soon.
            Thank you,

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
            • KOMK Offline
              KOM @dennypage
              last edited by KOM

              @dennypage Huh. I did not know that.

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • stephenw10S Offline
                stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                last edited by stephenw10

                As a workaround you can prevent the syslogd process seeing the connection rejection message from the server by adding firewall walls.

                You need to pass the syslog traffic outbound with state set to 'none'. And block the incoming icmp rejection if it's not already blocked.

                It then just keeps sending to the server.

                A 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • V Offline
                  vmillan69
                  last edited by

                  I have the same problem but with version 25.07.1 of pfsense+ and I am in PCI non-compliance. I think it is not that the remote server is not available for me, it is a bug in the version and it is critical.

                  J 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • J Offline
                    jrey @vmillan69
                    last edited by

                    @vmillan69 said in Syslog service in pfSense v2.8.1 often stop itself:

                    I think it is not that the remote server is not available for me,

                    if it is not this specifically -- then more information is likely required to offer any suggestions --

                    same issue with code reference
                    https://forum.netgate.com/topic/198418/25.07-unbound-pfblocker-python-syslog/43?_=1758219580156

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • stephenw10S Offline
                      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                      last edited by

                      Yes if you're not seeing 'connection refused logged then it's not the same issue. In which case the more info you can give us the better.

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • A Offline
                        aclrgt @stephenw10
                        last edited by

                        @stephenw10 said in Syslog service in pfSense v2.8.1 often stop itself:

                        As a workaround you can prevent the syslogd process seeing the connection rejection message from the server by adding firewall walls.

                        You need to pass the syslog traffic outbound with state set to 'none'. And block the incoming icmp rejection if it's not already blocked.

                        It then just keeps sending to the server.

                        Thanks for the tips 👍

                        M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                        • M Offline
                          mcury Rebel Alliance @aclrgt
                          last edited by mcury

                          Workaround tested on 25.07.1 and working, thanks @stephenw10

                          Follow for reference:

                          pfSense LAN: 192.168.50.254/24
                          Syslog: 192.168.50.253
                          Syslog port: UDP 1514
                          
                          
                          ========
                          Status / System Logs / Settings
                          Remote Logging Options
                          
                          Source Address: LAN
                          IP Protocol: IPv4
                          Remote log servers: 192.168.50.253:1514
                          ========
                          
                          Two floating rules:
                          
                          Action: Pass
                          Interface: LAN
                          Direction: out
                          IPv4
                          Protocol: UDP
                          Source: 192.168.50.254
                          Source port: 514
                          Destination: 192.168.50.253
                          Destination port: 1514
                          State type: None
                          Description: WORKAROUND 16362
                          
                          Action: Block
                          Quick: ticked
                          Interface: LAN
                          Direction: in
                          IPv4
                          Protocol: ICMP
                          ICMP Subtypes: Destination unreachable
                          Source: 192.168.50.253
                          Destination: 192.168.50.254
                          Description: WORKAROUND 16362 
                          

                          dead on arrival, nowhere to be found.

                          T 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                          • T Offline
                            thetravellor @mcury
                            last edited by

                            @mcury I will try your workaround.

                            I have just applied 25.11 dev and can confirm that it does not solve the syslog issue.

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • stephenw10S Offline
                              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                              last edited by

                              Hmm, 25.11-dev has the patched syslogd. Are you still seeing the connection refused message? What's the last thing(s) logged?

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • S Offline
                                slu @slu
                                last edited by

                                said in Syslog service in pfSense v2.8.1 often stop itself:

                                "Service Watchdog" at the moment, maybe a workaround?

                                I can answer this myself (we rebooted yesterday our syslog server), service watchdog working:

                                20:43:00 Service Watchdog detected service syslogd stopped. Restarting syslogd (System Logger 
                                Daemon)
                                

                                pfSense Gold subscription

                                T 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • T Offline
                                  tsmalmbe @slu
                                  last edited by

                                  @slu How did you implement this - I have never added anything custom to the watchdog.

                                  Security Consultant at Mint Security Ltd - www.mintsecurity.fi

                                  S 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • S Offline
                                    slu @tsmalmbe
                                    last edited by slu

                                    @tsmalmbe not sure what's exactly your question because the custom, but here are the steps:

                                    1. install Service_Watchdog package
                                    2. Services / Service Watchdog
                                    3. Add New Service
                                    4. select syslogd

                                    Done :)

                                    pfSense Gold subscription

                                    T 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                    • T Offline
                                      tsmalmbe @slu
                                      last edited by

                                      @slu Yes exactly I needed this very obvious steps clearly spelled out to me :) Thank you.

                                      Security Consultant at Mint Security Ltd - www.mintsecurity.fi

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                      • provelsP Offline
                                        provels
                                        last edited by

                                        FWIW, I see the service stop randomly, too, but I just use a second HDD mounted on the system drive for my remote logging, so no remote syslog server that might require FW rules. I'd suggest turning on notifications on Watchdog as well so you can check logs.

                                        Peder

                                        MAIN - pfSense+ 25.07.1-RELEASE - Adlink MXE-5401, i7, 16 GB RAM, 64 GB SSD. 500 GB HDD for SyslogNG
                                        BACKUP - pfSense+ 23.01-RELEASE - Hyper-V Virtual Machine, Gen 1, 2 v-CPUs, 3 GB RAM, 8GB VHDX (Dynamic)

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                                        • stephenw10S Offline
                                          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                          last edited by

                                          Do you see any errors logged before it stops? I assume you're using syslog-ng locally for the extra disk?

                                          provelsP 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • provelsP Offline
                                            provels @stephenw10
                                            last edited by

                                            @stephenw10 Get back to you later.

                                            Peder

                                            MAIN - pfSense+ 25.07.1-RELEASE - Adlink MXE-5401, i7, 16 GB RAM, 64 GB SSD. 500 GB HDD for SyslogNG
                                            BACKUP - pfSense+ 23.01-RELEASE - Hyper-V Virtual Machine, Gen 1, 2 v-CPUs, 3 GB RAM, 8GB VHDX (Dynamic)

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
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