Keeping an eye on your server’s SSH activity from time to time is recommended. I created a dashboard using Kibana/Elastic Search to quickly review and potentially identify any suspicious activity. It is available on GitHub (https://github.com/aymenfurter/kibana-sshactivity/).
Why Monitor SSH Activity?
SSH monitoring is crucial for server security because:
- Attack Detection: Identify brute force attacks and unauthorized access attempts
- Compliance Requirements: Many regulations require audit trails of system access
- Forensic Analysis: Understand what happened during security incidents
- Operational Insights: Monitor legitimate user behavior and system usage patterns
- Early Warning System: Detect anomalies before they become serious security breaches
Dashboard Architecture
Data Collection
The solution processes SSH logs to extract:
- Login Attempts: Both successful and failed authentication attempts
- User Information: Which users are accessing the system
- Source IPs: Geographic and network information about connection sources
- Timing Patterns: When attacks and legitimate access typically occur
- Session Details: Duration and activity patterns of SSH sessions
Visualization Components
General SSH Activity Section
- Failed login attempts over time
- Geographic distribution of connection attempts
- Top attacking IP addresses and user accounts
- Success vs failure rate trends
- Peak activity hours and patterns
Security Analysis Section
- Brute force attack detection and patterns
- Suspicious IP address identification
- Unusual user behavior patterns
- Geographic anomalies in access patterns
- Correlation between different attack vectors
Technical Implementation
Log Processing Pipeline
- Log Ingestion: Collect SSH logs from system log files
- Parsing and Enrichment: Extract relevant fields and add context
- Geolocation: Add geographic information for IP addresses
- Indexing: Store processed data in Elasticsearch
- Visualization: Create interactive dashboards in Kibana
Key Metrics Tracked
- Authentication Events: Success/failure rates and patterns
- User Activity: Account usage and behavioral analysis
- Network Analysis: Source IP reputation and geographic distribution
- Temporal Patterns: Time-based analysis of access attempts
- Anomaly Detection: Statistical deviation from normal patterns
Security Benefits
Threat Detection
The dashboard helps identify:
- Brute Force Attacks: Repeated failed login attempts from same sources
- Credential Stuffing: Attempts using common username/password combinations
- Geographic Anomalies: Access from unexpected locations
- Time-Based Anomalies: Access during unusual hours
- Account Enumeration: Attempts to discover valid usernames
Operational Intelligence
Beyond security, the dashboard provides:
- Usage Patterns: Understanding legitimate user behavior
- Capacity Planning: Peak usage times and resource requirements
- Compliance Reporting: Automated generation of access reports
- Performance Monitoring: SSH service health and response times
- Administrative Oversight: Tracking privileged user activities
Implementation Benefits
Real-Time Monitoring
- Live Dashboards: Immediate visibility into current SSH activity
- Alerting Integration: Automated notifications for suspicious patterns
- Historical Analysis: Long-term trends and pattern recognition
- Interactive Exploration: Drill-down capabilities for detailed investigation
Scalability and Maintenance
- Horizontal Scaling: Handle logs from multiple servers
- Automated Processing: Minimal manual intervention required
- Retention Policies: Configurable data retention for compliance
- Easy Deployment: Docker-based deployment for quick setup
Use Cases
Enterprise Environments
- Multi-Server Monitoring: Centralized view of SSH activity across infrastructure
- Compliance Auditing: Automated reporting for security audits
- Incident Response: Quick identification and analysis of security events
- Risk Assessment: Understanding attack patterns and exposure levels
Individual Administrators
- Personal Server Security: Monitor home labs and personal servers
- Learning Tool: Understand common attack patterns and techniques
- Security Awareness: Visual representation of constant internet scanning
- Baseline Establishment: Understand normal vs abnormal activity patterns
This solution transforms raw SSH logs into actionable security intelligence, making it easier to maintain server security and respond to threats effectively.