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    Snort fails to start after pfSense upgrade

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved IDS/IPS
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    • bmeeksB
      bmeeks
      last edited by

      On the GLOBAL SETTINGS tab is an option to enable verbose logging during startup.  Turn that on, save the change, and then try starting Snort.  It will write a bunch (and I mean a bunch!) of messages to the system log in pfSense.

      Bill

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      • J
        JustinTime
        last edited by

        Yes, that setting gave about 1600 log entries during startup.  Unfortunately, the highest level error was only Warning.  No Fatal errors at all.  The last entry before it finished trying to start was this:

        snort[90622]: 198 out of 1024 flowbits in use.

        Is there anything else I can look for in that detailed log that would help debug this problem?

        -Justin

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        • S
          Soonie
          last edited by

          Hi

          Check youre snort status , in de command line .

          It's possible you have two Snort instances running.  Go to a shell prompt and run this command: ps -ax |grep snort

          You should see only a single running instance of Snort assuming you have it running on only one interface.  If you see more Snort instances running than you have configured Snort interfaces, kill them all and then restart snort.  You can run /usr/local/etc/rc.d/snort.sh stop to stop Snort.  Then kill any Snort process that remains.  After that, run /usr/local/etc/rc.d/snort.sh start to restart your Snort interfaces.

          pfSense Community edition  APU1D4 AMD G-T40E Processor 2 / 4 GB DDR3-1066 DRAM 16GB m-SATA SSD / IDS Snort

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          • J
            JustinTime
            last edited by

            Thanks for the suggestion.  There are no snort processes running:

            /root: ps -ax | grep snort | grep -v grep
            74243  -  Ss      13:47.58 /usr/local/bin/barnyard2 -r 17275 -f snort_17275_fxp0.u2 –pid-path /var/run --nolock-pidfile -c /usr/local/etc/snort/snort_17275_fxp0/barnyard2.conf -d /var/log/s

            The response gets truncated instead of wrapping in the terminal window for some reason, but as you can see, that is the barnyard process.

            I am open to any other troubleshooting suggestions.

            -Justin

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            • S
              Soonie
              last edited by

              Can you try start snort in the command line ? run /usr/local/etc/rc.d/snort.sh start

              or stop the barnyard delete the package en reinstall again  :o

              maybe it work i try to think with you  8)

              Rob

              pfSense Community edition  APU1D4 AMD G-T40E Processor 2 / 4 GB DDR3-1066 DRAM 16GB m-SATA SSD / IDS Snort

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              • J
                JustinTime
                last edited by

                Same results trying to start from the command line.  I followed your suggestion to stop barnyard, delete the package and reinstall again.  It was interesting that after the installation completed, there was a brief moment when a snort process was actually running, but then it stopped again:

                [2.3.1-RELEASE]/root: ps -ax | grep snort | grep -v grep
                29454  -  IW      0:00.00 /bin/sh /usr/local/etc/rc.d/snort.sh start
                30668  -  DL      0:43.98 /usr/local/bin/snort -R 17275 -D -l /var/log/snort/snort_fxp017275 –pid-path /var/run --nolock-pidfile -G 17275 -c /usr/local/etc/snort/snort_17275_fxp0/snort.conf
                [2.3.1-RELEASE]/root: ps -ax | grep snort | grep -v grep
                87433  -  Ss      0:00.05 /usr/local/bin/barnyard2 -r 17275 -f snort_17275_fxp0.u2 –pid-path /var/run --nolock-pidfile -c /usr/local/etc/snort/snort_17275_fxp0/barnyard2.conf -d /var/log/s
                [2.3.1-RELEASE]/root:

                Do you have any further suggestions?

                -Justin

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                • S
                  Soonie
                  last edited by

                  Did your pfsene updates have gone well ? I installed it two times via the console.

                  Check of youre system is on the latest version.

                  System/Update/SystemUpdate check if its 2.3.1_5 status up to date

                  pfSense Community edition  APU1D4 AMD G-T40E Processor 2 / 4 GB DDR3-1066 DRAM 16GB m-SATA SSD / IDS Snort

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                  • J
                    JustinTime
                    last edited by

                    Yes, the two recent updates went perfectly.  The  status shows up to date, 2.3.1_5.

                    -Justin

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                    • S
                      Soonie
                      last edited by

                      What is the Snort version ?

                      Check the [status/services] can you see [Snort IDS/IPS Daemon] running / not running / nothing to see ?

                      You have reinstall snort did you set youre rules on ? (for example see the attachment)

                      What rulesets are you using ? VRT rules / GPLv2 Community Rules / Emerging Threats Open Rules

                      720px-SnortInterfacesEdit.png
                      720px-SnortInterfacesEdit.png_thumb

                      pfSense Community edition  APU1D4 AMD G-T40E Processor 2 / 4 GB DDR3-1066 DRAM 16GB m-SATA SSD / IDS Snort

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                      • J
                        JustinTime
                        last edited by

                        The Installed Packages page shows Snort version 3.2.9.1_13.

                        The status/services page shows snort stopped.

                        I have Snort set up to save the configuration upon uninstall, so all my previous rules are set on.  I use the VRT and ET rulesets.

                        That's interesting, I just noticed no VRT rules have been downloaded.  I forced an update and the VRT rules failed to download.  The log has these entries:

                        Jul  2 18:48:51 Jul  2 18:48:51 php-cgi: snort_check_for_rule_updates.php: [Snort] Snort VRT rules md5 download failed…
                        Jul  2 18:48:51 Jul  2 18:48:51 php-cgi: snort_check_for_rule_updates.php: [Snort] Server returned error code 422…

                        Will Snort start if VRT rules have been enabled but the VRT file hasn't been downloaded?

                        -Justin

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                        • S
                          Soonie
                          last edited by

                          Snort version 3.2.9.1_13 is ok ,look by Package Dependencies there is the right Snort version . [2.9.8.0.-1] i guess ?

                          There is a problem with the VRT rules zie my post below the link;
                          https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=114519.msg636493#msg636493

                          What you can try ; goto services/snort/globelsettings/ [Enable Snort GPLv2] [save] goto updates [Update Rules]

                          goto snort interfaces klik on [edit] check the WAN catagories and enable all the GPLv2 rules.

                          goto WAN rules and check the rules [Category Selection] GPLv2_community.rules (check of the rules are enabled)

                          Restart youre device and check of the Snort wil start .

                          For the VRT rules we have to be patience and wait for a pfSense cure .

                          pfSense Community edition  APU1D4 AMD G-T40E Processor 2 / 4 GB DDR3-1066 DRAM 16GB m-SATA SSD / IDS Snort

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                          • J
                            JustinTime
                            last edited by

                            The Package Dependencies state Snort 2.9.8.0_1.

                            I enabled the GPLv2 rules per your instructions and rebooted the firewall.  Snort still does not start.

                            I really appreciate all your suggestions, Soonie.  Do you have anything else I should try?

                            -Justin

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                            • J
                              JustinTime
                              last edited by

                              Interestingly, Suricata starts just fine  :o

                              I've been using Snort on pfSense for years.  Is Suricata the only solution I have now if I want an IDS/IPS on pfSense?  Feeling a tug from the dark side…

                              -Justin
                              Temporarily changing "snort" to "suricata" in my Splunk search  :-\

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                              • bmeeksB
                                bmeeks
                                last edited by

                                @JustinTime:

                                Interestingly, Suricata starts just fine  :o

                                I've been using Snort on pfSense for years.  Is Suricata the only solution I have now if I want an IDS/IPS on pfSense?  Feeling a tug from the dark side…

                                -Justin
                                Temporarily changing "snort" to "suricata" in my Splunk search  :-\

                                Snort will be back up soon.  I was very late getting the 2.9.8.3 update posted for review and merge, and the developer who normally reviews and merges Snort is out on vacation right now.  So give me the blame for being late submitting the update.  I let the EOL of the 2.9.8.0 Snort VRT rules sneak up on me.

                                Bill

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                                • J
                                  JustinTime
                                  last edited by

                                  My problems began about June 17th after my pfSense upgrade, which I believe is before any Snort EOL took place, correct?

                                  Thank you for keeping Snort up to date and providing support, Bill.  I'm not about to blame you for anything.  I just wish I could find a smoking gun in the logs to point me to a solution.  I'll try the next version of Snort when it comes out but I don't think it's a rules issue at this point.  I would be happy to be proven wrong, though.

                                  -Justin

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