# Elasticsearch Audit not supported, but still got entries

**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-audit-not-supported-but-still-got-entries/258337
**Category:** Elasticsearch
**Created:** [December 10, 2020, 9:58pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-audit-not-supported-but-still-got-entries/258337 "2020-12-10T21:58:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![djordan66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@djordan66](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/djordan66)
#### Post date: [December 10, 2020, 9:58pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-audit-not-supported-but-still-got-entries/258337/1 "2020-12-10T21:58:19Z")

</div>

We're running a cluster on Elasticsearch 7.9.3-1

We have 3 head/master nodes, 14 data nodes, and a kibana index node in the cluster.

I was asked to get audit logging running on our cluster to keep an eye on users, but learned (after quite a bit of fumbling around) that because we run ES with a free license, we don't have auditing available to us.

However, I've spotted entries in our audit logs on one of the nodes during a brief time when our cluster was trying to re-add nodes after restart. [1]

I happened upon this information when I was about to make a post asking why, after doing everything I could find on the technical docs, there were no new entries with our elasticsearch.yml [2] and log4j2.properties [3] set up as I had expected. But some entries had come in at some point.

Any idea how this could've happened? It ended up throwing me off for a while, making me think something was up with our cluster. Of course, had I seen the fact that we needed a gold license, that would've stifled my curiosity and constant barraging that probably broke things into auditing a couple things for us.

[1]

```auto
    {"type":"audit", "timestamp":"2020-12-08T10:34:49,415-0600", "node.id":"<node_id>", "event.type":"transport", "event.action":"access_granted", "authentication.type":"REALM", "user.name":"kibana", "user.realm":"reserved", "user.roles":["kibana_system"], "origin.type":"transport", "origin.address":"<head_node3>:54380", "request.id":"DozkmiOES2iRUuIDzZwdhQ", "action":"cluster:monitor/nodes/info[n]", "request.name":"NodeInfoRequest"}
    {"type":"audit", "timestamp":"2020-12-08T10:35:24,495-0600", "node.id":"<node_id>", "event.type":"transport", "event.action":"access_granted", "authentication.type":"REALM", "user.name":"kibana", "user.realm":"reserved", "user.roles":["kibana_system"], "origin.type":"transport", "origin.address":"<head_node2>:45770", "request.id":"nSzmLxZPS1-BZg_n8_WAqA", "action":"cluster:monitor/nodes/info[n]", "request.name":"NodeInfoRequest"}
    {"type":"audit", "timestamp":"2020-12-08T10:35:24,837-0600", "node.id":"<node_id>", "event.type":"transport", "event.action":"access_granted", "authentication.type":"REALM", "user.name":"<My User>", "user.realm":"default_native", "user.roles":["superuser"], "origin.type":"transport", "origin.address":"<head_node2>:45764", "request.id":"Ko9W6SZmTzilixffTrVA3A", "action":"cluster:monitor/nodes/info[n]", "request.name":"NodeInfoRequest", "x_forwarded_for":"10.150.70.82"}
    {"type":"audit", "timestamp":"2020-12-08T10:35:24,842-0600", "node.id":"<node_id>", "event.type":"transport", "event.action":"access_granted", "authentication.type":"REALM", "user.name":"<My User>", "user.realm":"default_native", "user.roles":["superuser"], "origin.type":"transport", "origin.address":"<head_node2:45770", "request.id":"Ko9W6SZmTzilixffTrVA3A", "action":"cluster:monitor/nodes/stats[n]", "request.name":"NodeStatsRequest", "x_forwarded_for":"10.150.70.82"}

```

[2]

```auto
    cluster.max_shards_per_node: 5000
    cluster.name: <cluster_name)
    discovery.seed_hosts:
    - <head_node1>:9300
    - <head_node2>:9300
    - <head_node3>:9300
    network.host: <host_ip>
    node.data: 'true'
    node.master: 'false'
    node.name: <node_name>
    path.data:
    - "/path/to/data1"
    - "/path/to/data2"
    - "/path/to/data2"
    - "/path/to/data4"
    - "/path/to/data5"
    - "/path/to/data6"
    - "/path/to/data7"
    path.logs: "/path/to/logfile.log"
    path.repo:
    - "/repo"
    xpack.graph.enabled: 'false'
    xpack.ml.enabled: 'false'
    xpack.security.audit.enabled: 'true'
    xpack.security.enabled: 'true'
    xpack.security.transport.ssl.enabled: 'true'
    xpack.security.transport.ssl.keystore.path: /path/to/key
    xpack.security.transport.ssl.truststore.path: /path/to/key
    xpack.security.transport.ssl.verification_mode: full
    xpack.watcher.enabled: 'false'

```

[3]

```auto
status = info

    # log action execution errors for easier debugging
    logger.action.name = org.elasticsearch.action
    logger.action.level = debug

    appender.console.type = Console
    appender.console.name = console
    appender.console.layout.type = PatternLayout
    appender.console.layout.pattern = [%d{ISO8601}][%-5p][%-25c{1.}] [%node_name]%marker%m%n

    appender.rolling.type = RollingFile
    appender.rolling.name = rolling
    appender.rolling.fileName = ${sys:es.logs.base_path}${sys:file.separator}${sys:es.logs.cluster_name}.log
    appender.rolling.layout.type = PatternLayout
    appender.rolling.layout.pattern = [%d{ISO8601}][%-5p][%-25c{1.}] [%node_name]%marker%.-10000m%n
    appender.rolling.filePattern = ${sys:es.logs.base_path}${sys:file.separator}${sys:es.logs.cluster_name}-%d{yyyy-MM-dd}-%i.log.gz
    appender.rolling.policies.type = Policies
    appender.rolling.policies.time.type = TimeBasedTriggeringPolicy
    appender.rolling.policies.time.interval = 1
    appender.rolling.policies.time.modulate = true

    rootLogger.level = info
    rootLogger.appenderRef.console.ref = console
    rootLogger.appenderRef.rolling.ref = rolling

    appender.deprecation_rolling.type = RollingFile
    appender.deprecation_rolling.name = deprecation_rolling
    appender.deprecation_rolling.fileName = ${sys:es.logs.base_path}${sys:file.separator}${sys:es.logs.cluster_name}_deprecation.log
    appender.deprecation_rolling.layout.type = PatternLayout
    appender.deprecation_rolling.layout.pattern = [%d{ISO8601}][%-5p][%-25c{1.}] [%node_name]%marker%.-10000m%n
    appender.deprecation_rolling.filePattern = ${sys:es.logs.base_path}${sys:file.separator}${sys:es.logs.cluster_name}_deprecation-%i.log.gz
    appender.deprecation_rolling.policies.type = Policies
    appender.deprecation_rolling.policies.size.type = SizeBasedTriggeringPolicy
    appender.deprecation_rolling.policies.size.size = 1GB
    appender.deprecation_rolling.strategy.type = DefaultRolloverStrategy
    appender.deprecation_rolling.strategy.max = 4

    logger.deprecation.name = org.elasticsearch.deprecation
    logger.deprecation.level = warn
    logger.deprecation.appenderRef.deprecation_rolling.ref = deprecation_rolling
    logger.deprecation.additivity = false

    appender.index_search_slowlog_rolling.type = RollingFile
    appender.index_search_slowlog_rolling.name = index_search_slowlog_rolling
    appender.index_search_slowlog_rolling.fileName = ${sys:es.logs.base_path}${sys:file.separator}${sys:es.logs.cluster_name}_index_search_slowlog.log
    appender.index_search_slowlog_rolling.layout.type = PatternLayout
    appender.index_search_slowlog_rolling.layout.pattern = [%d{ISO8601}][%-5p][%-25c] [%node_name]%marker%.-10000m%n
    appender.index_search_slowlog_rolling.filePattern = ${sys:es.logs.base_path}${sys:file.separator}${sys:es.logs.cluster_name}_index_search_slowlog-%d{yyyy-MM-dd}.log
    appender.index_search_slowlog_rolling.policies.type = Policies
    appender.index_search_slowlog_rolling.policies.time.type = TimeBasedTriggeringPolicy
    appender.index_search_slowlog_rolling.policies.time.interval = 1
    appender.index_search_slowlog_rolling.policies.time.modulate = true

    logger.index_search_slowlog_rolling.name = index.search.slowlog
    logger.index_search_slowlog_rolling.level = trace
    logger.index_search_slowlog_rolling.appenderRef.index_search_slowlog_rolling.ref = index_search_slowlog_rolling
    logger.index_search_slowlog_rolling.additivity = false

    appender.index_indexing_slowlog_rolling.type = RollingFile
    appender.index_indexing_slowlog_rolling.name = index_indexing_slowlog_rolling
    appender.index_indexing_slowlog_rolling.fileName = ${sys:es.logs.base_path}${sys:file.separator}${sys:es.logs.cluster_name}_index_indexing_slowlog.log
    appender.index_indexing_slowlog_rolling.layout.type = PatternLayout
    appender.index_indexing_slowlog_rolling.layout.pattern = [%d{ISO8601}][%-5p][%-25c] [%node_name]%marker%.-10000m%n
    appender.index_indexing_slowlog_rolling.filePattern = ${sys:es.logs.base_path}${sys:file.separator}${sys:es.logs.cluster_name}_index_indexing_slowlog-%d{yyyy-MM-dd}.log
    appender.index_indexing_slowlog_rolling.policies.type = Policies
    appender.index_indexing_slowlog_rolling.policies.time.type = TimeBasedTriggeringPolicy
    appender.index_indexing_slowlog_rolling.policies.time.interval = 1
    appender.index_indexing_slowlog_rolling.policies.time.modulate = true

    logger.index_indexing_slowlog.name = index.indexing.slowlog.index
    logger.index_indexing_slowlog.level = trace
    logger.index_indexing_slowlog.appenderRef.index_indexing_slowlog_rolling.ref = index_indexing_slowlog_rolling
    logger.index_indexing_slowlog.additivity = false

    appender.audit_rolling.type = RollingFile
    appender.audit_rolling.name = audit_rolling
    appender.audit_rolling.fileName = ${sys:es.logs.base_path}${sys:file.separator}${sys:es.logs.cluster_name}_audit.json
    appender.audit_rolling.layout.type = PatternLayout
    appender.audit_rolling.layout.pattern = {\
                    "type":"audit", \
                    "timestamp":"%d{yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss,SSSZ}"\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "node.name":"%enc{%map{node.name}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "node.id":"%enc{%map{node.id}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "host.name":"%enc{%map{host.name}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "host.ip":"%enc{%map{host.ip}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "event.type":"%enc{%map{event.type}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "event.action":"%enc{%map{event.action}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "authentication.type":"%enc{%map{authentication.type}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "user.name":"%enc{%map{user.name}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "user.run_by.name":"%enc{%map{user.run_by.name}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "user.run_as.name":"%enc{%map{user.run_as.name}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "user.realm":"%enc{%map{user.realm}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "user.run_by.realm":"%enc{%map{user.run_by.realm}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "user.run_as.realm":"%enc{%map{user.run_as.realm}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "user.roles":%map{user.roles}}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "apikey.id":"%enc{%map{apikey.id}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "apikey.name":"%enc{%map{apikey.name}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "origin.type":"%enc{%map{origin.type}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "origin.address":"%enc{%map{origin.address}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "realm":"%enc{%map{realm}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "url.path":"%enc{%map{url.path}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "url.query":"%enc{%map{url.query}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "request.method":"%enc{%map{request.method}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "request.body":"%enc{%map{request.body}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "request.id":"%enc{%map{request.id}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "action":"%enc{%map{action}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "request.name":"%enc{%map{request.name}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "indices":%map{indices}}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "opaque_id":"%enc{%map{opaque_id}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "x_forwarded_for":"%enc{%map{x_forwarded_for}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "transport.profile":"%enc{%map{transport.profile}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "rule":"%enc{%map{rule}}{JSON}"}\
                    %varsNotEmpty{, "event.category":"%enc{%map{event.category}}{JSON}"}\
                    }%n

    appender.audit_rolling.filePattern = ${sys:es.logs.base_path}${sys:file.separator}${sys:es.logs.cluster_name}_audit-%d{yyyy-MM-dd}.json
    appender.audit_rolling.policies.type = Policies
    appender.audit_rolling.policies.time.type = TimeBasedTriggeringPolicy
    appender.audit_rolling.policies.time.interval = 1
    appender.audit_rolling.policies.time.modulate = true

    logger.xpack_security_audit_logfile.name = org.elasticsearch.xpack.security.audit.logfile.LoggingAuditTrail
    logger.xpack_security_audit_logfile.level = info
    logger.xpack_security_audit_logfile.appenderRef.audit_rolling.ref = audit_rolling
    logger.xpack_security_audit_logfile.additivity = false

    logger.xmlsig.name = org.apache.xml.security.signature.XMLSignature
    logger.xmlsig.level = error
    logger.samlxml_decrypt.name = org.opensaml.xmlsec.encryption.support.Decrypter
    logger.samlxml_decrypt.level = fatal
    logger.saml2_decrypt.name = org.opensaml.saml.saml2.encryption.Decrypter
    logger.saml2_decrypt.level = fatal

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![DavidTurner](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/davidturner/32/22453_2.png) [@DavidTurner](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/DavidTurner)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2020, 9:07am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-audit-not-supported-but-still-got-entries/258337/2 "2020-12-11T09:07:11Z")

</div>

> [@djordan66](#):
>
> However, I've spotted entries in our audit logs on one of the nodes during a brief time when our cluster was trying to re-add nodes after restart. [1]

At startup a node doesn't know the cluster's license: it only gets that information when it joins the rest of the cluster. I guess it defaulted to a `trial` license which permits every feature, including auditing. Since you had enabled auditing in your config file it (briefly) trusted that this was going to be permitted by the actual license.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![djordan66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@djordan66](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/djordan66)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2020, 4:47pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-audit-not-supported-but-still-got-entries/258337/3 "2020-12-14T16:47:07Z")

</div>

I see. Thank you for the prompt response. It was something we were looking into and it threw us off for a little while.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![DavidTurner](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/davidturner/32/22453_2.png) [@DavidTurner](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/DavidTurner)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2020, 4:53pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-audit-not-supported-but-still-got-entries/258337/4 "2020-12-14T16:53:53Z")

</div>

Funnily enough I encountered a similar issue at almost exactly the same time you asked your question. A colleague pointed me to [https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/pull/65498](https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/pull/65498) which I think would have helped us both.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2021, 4:54pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-audit-not-supported-but-still-got-entries/258337/5 "2021-01-11T16:54:06Z")

</div>

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