Syslog service in pfSense v2.8.1 often stop itself

KOM

@dennypage Huh. I did not know that.

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.

vmillan69

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.

jrey

@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

stephenw10

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.

aclrgt

@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

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

thetravellor

@mcury I will try your workaround.

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

stephenw10

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

slu

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)

tsmalmbe

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

slu

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

install Service_Watchdog package
Services / Service Watchdog
Add New Service
select syslogd

Done :)

tsmalmbe

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

provels

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.

stephenw10

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

provels

@stephenw10 Get back to you later.

provels

@stephenw10 Yes, syslog-ng. I'm actually seeing the same type of messages the remote log server users are. Rinse/repeat.
I enabled the watchdog a few days ago but no new notifications of restart since. Notifications are working, as I just enabled the service and waited for the syslogd restart to confirm. From all the repeated entries I see, it seems syslogd get restarted often, far more often than the watchdog would indicate. Some normal, expected actions from syslog-ng? Archiving? Don't know, just blathering. Excuse me if I state the obvious...

Sep 30 17:09:30	syslogd		sendto: Connection refused
Sep 30 17:09:30	syslogd		kernel boot file is /boot/kernel/kernel
Sep 30 17:09:29	syslogd		exiting on signal 15
Sep 30 17:09:01	syslogd		sendto: Connection refused
Sep 30 17:09:01	syslogd		kernel boot file is /boot/kernel/kernel

stephenw10

Hmm, good question. It must be syslog-ng restarting. I would expect that to be logged somewhere though...

provels

@stephenw10 I see a string of these. The => syslog start is the one watchdog started after I enabled it. Doesn't really seem to follow logic, though...
Daemon exited gracefully, not restarting; exitcode='0'

Sep 30 17:08:05	syslogd		exiting on signal 15
Sep 30 17:08:00	syslogd		sendto: Connection refused
Sep 30 17:07:58	supervise/syslog-ng	46549	Daemon exited gracefully, not restarting; exitcode='0'
=> Sep 30 11:17:02	syslogd		kernel boot file is /boot/kernel/kernel
Sep 20 08:43:22	syslogd		sendto: Connection refused
Sep 20 08:43:22	syslogd		kernel boot file is /boot/kernel/kernel
Sep 20 08:43:22	syslogd		exiting on signal 15
Sep 20 08:42:49	syslogd		sendto: Connection refused
Sep 20 08:42:49	syslogd		kernel boot file is /boot/kernel/kernel
Sep 20 08:41:53	syslogd		exiting on signal 15
Sep 20 08:41:47	syslogd		sendto: Connection refused
Sep 20 08:41:46	supervise/syslog-ng	39433	Daemon exited gracefully, not restarting; exitcode='0'
Sep 19 20:20:27	syslogd		kernel boot file is /boot/kernel/kernel
Sep 18 05:55:38	supervise/syslog-ng	64260	Daemon exited gracefully, not restarting; exitcode='0'
Sep 17 09:05:00	syslogd		sendto: Connection refused

provels

@stephenw10 Got a notification that syslogd was restarted at 00:15 today. Looks like the previous default.log gzipped at 23:50, so had that been what stopped syslogd, watchdog would have caught it a minute later.
SYSTEM LOG from last night to present

Oct 3 03:07:59	php-fpm	70563	/index.php: Successful login for user 'admin' from: 192.168.0.82 (Local Database)
Oct 3 03:01:00	root	93209	rc.update_bogons.sh is sleeping for 30028
Oct 3 03:01:00	root	92013	rc.update_bogons.sh is starting up.
Oct 3 01:01:00	php-cgi	63710	rc.dyndns.update: phpDynDNS (mydom.ddns.net): No change in my IP address and/or 25 days has not passed. Not updating dynamic DNS entry.
Oct 3 00:15:03	php-cgi	55524	notify_monitor.php: Message sent to admin@mydom.net OK
Oct 3 00:15:02	syslogd		kernel boot file is /boot/kernel/kernel
Oct 2 21:47:53	php-fpm	44887	/index.php: User logged out for user 'admin' from: 192.168.0.82 (Local Database)

SYSLOG-NG

Oct 3 00:00:00 fw syslog-ng[50722]: Configuration reload finished;
Oct 3 00:00:00 fw syslog-ng[50722]: Configuration reload request received, reloading configuration;
Oct 3 00:10:00 fw syslog-ng[50722]: Log statistics; processed='destination(_DEFAULT)=319', dropped='global(internal_source)=0', processed='global(internal_source)=319', queued='global(internal_source)=0', processed='global(msg_clones)=0', processed='source(_DEFAULT)=319', processed='src.internal(_DEFAULT#0)=319', processed='global(sdata_updates)=0', stamp='src.internal(_DEFAULT#0)=1759467600', queued='global(scratch_buffers_count)=0', processed='global(payload_reallocs)=312', processed='center(queued)=319', processed='center(received)=319', queued='global(scratch_buffers_bytes)=0'
Oct 3 00:15:02 localhost syslogd: kernel boot file is /boot/kernel/kernel
Oct 3 00:15:02 localhost syslogd: restart
Oct 3 00:20:00 fw syslog-ng[50722]: Log statistics; processed='destination(_DEFAULT)=359', dropped='global(internal_source)=0', processed='global(internal_source)=320', queued='global(internal_source)=0', processed='global(msg_clones)=0', processed='source(_DEFAULT)=359', processed='src.internal(_DEFAULT#0)=320', processed='global(sdata_updates)=0', stamp='src.internal(_DEFAULT#0)=1759468200', queued='global(scratch_buffers_count)=0', processed='global(payload_reallocs)=313', processed='center(queued)=359', processed='center(received)=359', queued='global(scratch_buffers_bytes)=0'