| 1 | <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
 | 
|---|
| 2 | <html>
 | 
|---|
| 3 | <head>
 | 
|---|
| 4 | <title>HOWTO client+server troubleshooting</title>
 | 
|---|
| 5 | <style type="text/css">
 | 
|---|
| 6 | <!--
 | 
|---|
| 7 | 
 | 
|---|
| 8 | html { background: #eee; color: #000; }
 | 
|---|
| 9 | 
 | 
|---|
| 10 | body { background: #eee; color: #000; margin: 0; padding: 0;}
 | 
|---|
| 11 | 
 | 
|---|
| 12 | div.body {
 | 
|---|
| 13 |         background: #fff; color: #000;
 | 
|---|
| 14 |         margin: 0 1em 0 1em; padding: 1em;
 | 
|---|
| 15 |         font-family: serif;
 | 
|---|
| 16 |         font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.2em;
 | 
|---|
| 17 |         border-width: 0 1px 0 1px;
 | 
|---|
| 18 |         border-style: solid;
 | 
|---|
| 19 |         border-color: #aaa;
 | 
|---|
| 20 | }
 | 
|---|
| 21 | 
 | 
|---|
| 22 | div.block {
 | 
|---|
| 23 |         background: #b6c5f2; color: #000;
 | 
|---|
| 24 |         margin: 1em; padding: 0 1em 0 1em;
 | 
|---|
| 25 |         border-width: 1px;
 | 
|---|
| 26 |         border-style: solid;
 | 
|---|
| 27 |         border-color: #2d4488;
 | 
|---|
| 28 | }
 | 
|---|
| 29 | 
 | 
|---|
| 30 | div.warnblock {
 | 
|---|
| 31 |         background: #b6c5f2; color: #000;
 | 
|---|
| 32 |         margin: 1em; padding: 0 1em 0 1em;
 | 
|---|
| 33 |         border-width: 1px;
 | 
|---|
| 34 |         border-style: solid;
 | 
|---|
| 35 |         border-color: #FF9900;
 | 
|---|
| 36 | }
 | 
|---|
| 37 | 
 | 
|---|
| 38 | table {
 | 
|---|
| 39 |         background: #F8F8F8; color: #000;
 | 
|---|
| 40 |         margin: 1em;
 | 
|---|
| 41 |         border-width: 0 0 0 1px;
 | 
|---|
| 42 |         border-style: solid;
 | 
|---|
| 43 |         border-color: #C0C0C0;
 | 
|---|
| 44 | }
 | 
|---|
| 45 | 
 | 
|---|
| 46 | td {
 | 
|---|
| 47 |         border-width: 0 1px 1px 0;
 | 
|---|
| 48 |         border-style: solid;
 | 
|---|
| 49 |         border-color: #C0C0C0;
 | 
|---|
| 50 | }
 | 
|---|
| 51 | 
 | 
|---|
| 52 | th {
 | 
|---|
| 53 |         background: #F8F8FF;
 | 
|---|
| 54 |         border-width: 1px 1px 2px 0;
 | 
|---|
| 55 |         border-style: solid;
 | 
|---|
| 56 |         border-color: #C0C0C0;
 | 
|---|
| 57 | }
 | 
|---|
| 58 | 
 | 
|---|
| 59 | 
 | 
|---|
| 60 | /* body text, headings, and rules */
 | 
|---|
| 61 | 
 | 
|---|
| 62 | p { margin: 0; text-indent: 0em; margin: 0 0 0.5em 0 }
 | 
|---|
| 63 | 
 | 
|---|
| 64 | h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 {
 | 
|---|
| 65 |         color: #206020; background: transparent;
 | 
|---|
| 66 |         font-family: Optima, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
 | 
|---|
| 67 |         font-weight: normal;
 | 
|---|
| 68 | }
 | 
|---|
| 69 | 
 | 
|---|
| 70 | h1 { font-size: 1.69em; margin: 1.4em 0 0.4em 0; }
 | 
|---|
| 71 | h2 { font-size: 1.44em; margin: 1.4em 0 0.4em 0; }
 | 
|---|
| 72 | h3 { font-size: 1.21em; margin: 1.4em 0 0.4em 0; }
 | 
|---|
| 73 | h4 { font-size: 1.00em; margin: 1.4em 0 0.4em 0; }
 | 
|---|
| 74 | h5 { font-size: 0.81em; margin: 1.4em 0 0.4em 0; }
 | 
|---|
| 75 | h6 { font-size: 0.64em; margin: 1.4em 0 0.4em 0; }
 | 
|---|
| 76 | 
 | 
|---|
| 77 | hr {
 | 
|---|
| 78 |         color: transparent; background: transparent;
 | 
|---|
| 79 |         height: 0px; margin: 0.6em 0;
 | 
|---|
| 80 |         border-width: 1px ;
 | 
|---|
| 81 |         border-style: solid;
 | 
|---|
| 82 |         border-color: #999;
 | 
|---|
| 83 | }
 | 
|---|
| 84 | 
 | 
|---|
| 85 | /* bulleted lists and definition lists */
 | 
|---|
| 86 | 
 | 
|---|
| 87 | ul { margin: 0 1em 0.6em 2em; padding: 0; }
 | 
|---|
| 88 | li { margin: 0.4em 0 0 0; }
 | 
|---|
| 89 | 
 | 
|---|
| 90 | dl { margin: 0.6em 1em 0.6em 2em; }
 | 
|---|
| 91 | dt { color: #285577; }
 | 
|---|
| 92 | 
 | 
|---|
| 93 | tt { color: #602020; }
 | 
|---|
| 94 | 
 | 
|---|
| 95 | /* links */
 | 
|---|
| 96 | 
 | 
|---|
| 97 | a.link {
 | 
|---|
| 98 |         color: #33c; background: transparent;
 | 
|---|
| 99 |         text-decoration: none;
 | 
|---|
| 100 | }
 | 
|---|
| 101 | 
 | 
|---|
| 102 | a:hover {
 | 
|---|
| 103 |         color: #000; background: transparent;
 | 
|---|
| 104 | }
 | 
|---|
| 105 | 
 | 
|---|
| 106 | body > a {
 | 
|---|
| 107 |         font-family: Optima, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
 | 
|---|
| 108 |         font-size: 0.81em;
 | 
|---|
| 109 | }
 | 
|---|
| 110 | 
 | 
|---|
| 111 | h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 {
 | 
|---|
| 112 |         color: #2d5588; background: transparent;
 | 
|---|
| 113 |         font-family: Optima, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
 | 
|---|
| 114 |         font-weight: normal;
 | 
|---|
| 115 | }
 | 
|---|
| 116 | 
 | 
|---|
| 117 |   -->
 | 
|---|
| 118 | </style></head>
 | 
|---|
| 119 | 
 | 
|---|
| 120 | <body>
 | 
|---|
| 121 | <div class="body">
 | 
|---|
| 122 | <p style="text-align: center; background: #ccc; border: 1px solid #2d5588;"><a 
 | 
|---|
| 123 |    style="text-decoration: none;" 
 | 
|---|
| 124 |    href="http://www.la-samhna.de/samhain/">samhain file integrity 
 | 
|---|
| 125 |    scanner</a> | <a style="text-decoration: none;" 
 | 
|---|
| 126 |    href="http://www.la-samhna.de/samhain/s_documentation.html">online 
 | 
|---|
| 127 |    documentation</a></p>
 | 
|---|
| 128 | <br><center>
 | 
|---|
| 129 | <h1>Samhain client/server: What can go wrong, and how can you fix it ?</h1>
 | 
|---|
| 130 | </center>
 | 
|---|
| 131 | <br>
 | 
|---|
| 132 | <hr>
 | 
|---|
| 133 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 134 | This document aims to explain how to diagnose and fix common problems that
 | 
|---|
| 135 | may result from misunderstanding or misconfiguration when setting up 
 | 
|---|
| 136 | a client/server samhain system. This document is divided in several sections
 | 
|---|
| 137 | more or less corresponding to the different stages when a client
 | 
|---|
| 138 | connects to a server. Each section starts with a brief explanation that
 | 
|---|
| 139 | should provide a basic understanding of what is going on.
 | 
|---|
| 140 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 141 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 142 | This document does not discuss <i>how</i> to setup a client/server (for
 | 
|---|
| 143 | this, look into the manual and/or the HOWTO-client+server). 
 | 
|---|
| 144 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 145 | 
 | 
|---|
| 146 | <h2><a name="sect1">Table of Contents</a></h2>
 | 
|---|
| 147 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 148 | <a href="#sect1">Connecting to the server</a><br>
 | 
|---|
| 149 | <a href="#sect2">Authentication</a><br>
 | 
|---|
| 150 | <a href="#sect3">Downloading config/database files</a><br>
 | 
|---|
| 151 | <a href="#sect4">Other connection problems</a><br>
 | 
|---|
| 152 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 153 | 
 | 
|---|
| 154 | <h2><a name="sect1">Connecting to the server</a></h2>
 | 
|---|
| 155 | 
 | 
|---|
| 156 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 157 | Client/server connections are always initiated from the client. The port
 | 
|---|
| 158 | is compiled in (there is a configure option to change the default).
 | 
|---|
| 159 | The default port is 49777.
 | 
|---|
| 160 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 161 | 
 | 
|---|
| 162 | <h3>Problem #1</h3>
 | 
|---|
| 163 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 164 | The client reports: <b>Connection refused</b>. The server reports nothing.
 | 
|---|
| 165 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 166 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 167 | The server is down, listens on the wrong port, or network failure.
 | 
|---|
| 168 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 169 | 
 | 
|---|
| 170 | <h3>Problem #2</h3>
 | 
|---|
| 171 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 172 | The client reports: <b>Connection error: Connection reset by peer</b>, and
 | 
|---|
| 173 | later also <b>Session key negotiation failed</b>. The server reports:
 | 
|---|
| 174 | <b>msg="Refused connection from ..." subroutine="libwrap"</b>.
 | 
|---|
| 175 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 176 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 177 | The server is compiled with libwrap (TCP Wrapper) support, and the
 | 
|---|
| 178 | client is either in <tt>/etc/hosts.deny</tt>, or you have set <i>yule: ALL</i>
 | 
|---|
| 179 | in <tt>/etc/hosts.deny</tt>, and forgot to put the client in 
 | 
|---|
| 180 | <tt>/etc/hosts.allow</tt>.
 | 
|---|
| 181 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 182 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 183 | To fix: make proper entries in <tt>/etc/hosts.allow</tt> and/or 
 | 
|---|
| 184 | <tt>/etc/hosts.deny</tt>. There is no need to restart/reload the server.
 | 
|---|
| 185 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 186 | 
 | 
|---|
| 187 | 
 | 
|---|
| 188 | <h2><a name="sect2">Authentication</a></h2>
 | 
|---|
| 189 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 190 | The client has a password that is used to authenticate to the server.
 | 
|---|
| 191 | This password is located within the binary, and is set with the
 | 
|---|
| 192 | <tt>samhain_setpwd</tt> helper application, as explained e.g. in the
 | 
|---|
| 193 | manual or in the Client+Server HOWTO.
 | 
|---|
| 194 | </p><p>
 | 
|---|
| 195 | The server has a list of clients that are allowed to connect, and the
 | 
|---|
| 196 | verifiers corresponding to the passwords of these clients.
 | 
|---|
| 197 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 198 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 199 | Upon successful authentication, client and server will negotiate
 | 
|---|
| 200 | a <b>session key</b> that is used for signing further messages
 | 
|---|
| 201 | from the client.
 | 
|---|
| 202 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 203 | 
 | 
|---|
| 204 | <h3>Problem #1</h3>
 | 
|---|
| 205 | 
 | 
|---|
| 206 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 207 | If the password is wrong, the client will report 
 | 
|---|
| 208 | <b>Session key negotiation failed</b>. The server will
 | 
|---|
| 209 | report: <b>Invalid connection attempt: Session key mismatch</b>
 | 
|---|
| 210 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 211 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 212 | To fix: make sure that the password has in fact been set, that you are
 | 
|---|
| 213 | using the correct executable for the client (the one where the password is 
 | 
|---|
| 214 | set), and that the entry in the server config file is the one generated
 | 
|---|
| 215 | for this password (also look out for double entries for this client).
 | 
|---|
| 216 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 217 | 
 | 
|---|
| 218 | <h3>Problem #2</h3>
 | 
|---|
| 219 | 
 | 
|---|
| 220 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 221 | If the client name (as resolved on the server) is wrong, the client 
 | 
|---|
| 222 | will report 
 | 
|---|
| 223 | <b>Session key negotiation failed</b>. The server will
 | 
|---|
| 224 | report: <b>Invalid connection attempt: Not in client list</b>,
 | 
|---|
| 225 | <i>and</i> it will tell you in the same error message 
 | 
|---|
| 226 | what name it has inferred for the connecting
 | 
|---|
| 227 | client (example): <b>client="client.mydomain.com"</b>.
 | 
|---|
| 228 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 229 | <p> 
 | 
|---|
| 230 | The fix depends on the nature of the problem. In principle, it should be
 | 
|---|
| 231 | sufficient to change the name of the client in the config file entry, which
 | 
|---|
| 232 | isn't really a solution if e.g. the server thinks the client is 'localhost'.
 | 
|---|
| 233 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 234 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 235 | There are two different ways to determine the client name. 
 | 
|---|
| 236 | Unfortunately, judging 
 | 
|---|
| 237 | from customer feedback as well from common sense, both do not work very well
 | 
|---|
| 238 | with a messed up local DNS (including /etc/hosts files) and/or
 | 
|---|
| 239 | überparanoid or misconfigured firewalls (in case of connections 
 | 
|---|
| 240 | across one).
 | 
|---|
| 241 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 242 | <ul>
 | 
|---|
| 243 |   <li>
 | 
|---|
| 244 |      <p>
 | 
|---|
| 245 |      <i>First method: Determine client name on client, and 
 | 
|---|
| 246 |      try to cross-check on server</i>
 | 
|---|
| 247 |      <p>
 | 
|---|
| 248 |      <p>
 | 
|---|
| 249 |      This does not work for a number of people because (1) the
 | 
|---|
| 250 |      <tt>/etc/hosts</tt> file on the client machine has errors 
 | 
|---|
| 251 |      (yes, there are plenty machines with a completely 
 | 
|---|
| 252 |      messed up <tt>/etc/hosts</tt> file), (2) the
 | 
|---|
| 253 |      server cannot resolve the client address because the local DNS is
 | 
|---|
| 254 |      f***ed up, or (3) the client machine has multiple network interfaces, and
 | 
|---|
| 255 |      the interface used is not the one the client name resolves to.
 | 
|---|
| 256 |      </p>
 | 
|---|
| 257 |        <p>
 | 
|---|
| 258 |        If the client uses the wrong interface on a multi-interface machine, 
 | 
|---|
| 259 |        there is a config file option 
 | 
|---|
| 260 |        <tt>SetBindAddress=</tt><i>IP address</i>
 | 
|---|
| 261 |        that allows to choose the interface the client will use for
 | 
|---|
| 262 |        outgoing connections.
 | 
|---|
| 263 |        </p>
 | 
|---|
| 264 |        <p>
 | 
|---|
| 265 |        If you want to download the config file from the server, you
 | 
|---|
| 266 |        should instead use the corresponding command line
 | 
|---|
| 267 |        <tt>--bind-address=</tt><i>IP address</i>
 | 
|---|
| 268 |        to select the interface.
 | 
|---|
| 269 |        </p>
 | 
|---|
| 270 | 
 | 
|---|
| 271 |      <p>
 | 
|---|
| 272 |      If you encounter problems, you may (1) fix your 
 | 
|---|
| 273 |      <tt>/etc/hosts</tt> file(s), (2) fix your local DNS, or
 | 
|---|
| 274 |      (3) switch to the second method.
 | 
|---|
| 275 |      </p>
 | 
|---|
| 276 |      <p>
 | 
|---|
| 277 |      Errors in name resolving/cross-checking can be avoided by setting a 
 | 
|---|
| 278 |      very low severity (lower than the logging threshold), e.g.
 | 
|---|
| 279 |      </p>
 | 
|---|
| 280 |      <p>
 | 
|---|
| 281 |      <tt>SeverityLookup=</tt><i>debug</i>
 | 
|---|
| 282 |      </p>
 | 
|---|
| 283 |      <p>
 | 
|---|
| 284 |      in the <i>Misc</i> section of the server configuration,
 | 
|---|
| 285 |      if you prefer running <i>unsafe</i> at any speed 
 | 
|---|
| 286 |      instead of fixing the problem (you have been warned). Doing so will
 | 
|---|
| 287 |      allow an attacker to pose as the client.
 | 
|---|
| 288 |      </p>
 | 
|---|
| 289 |   </li>
 | 
|---|
| 290 |   <li>
 | 
|---|
| 291 |      <p><i>Second method: Use address of connecting entity as 
 | 
|---|
| 292 |      known to the communication layer</i></p>
 | 
|---|
| 293 |      <p>
 | 
|---|
| 294 |      This has been dropped as default 
 | 
|---|
| 295 |      long ago because it may not always be the 
 | 
|---|
| 296 |      address of the client machine. 
 | 
|---|
| 297 |      To enable this method, use
 | 
|---|
| 298 |      </p>
 | 
|---|
| 299 |      <p>
 | 
|---|
| 300 |      <tt>SetClientFromAccept=</tt><i>true</i>
 | 
|---|
| 301 |      </p>
 | 
|---|
| 302 |      <p>
 | 
|---|
| 303 |      in the <i>Misc</i> section of the server configuration
 | 
|---|
| 304 |      file. If the address cannot be resolved, or reverse lookup of the
 | 
|---|
| 305 |      resolved name fails, <i>no</i> error message will be issued,
 | 
|---|
| 306 |      but the numerical address will be used.
 | 
|---|
| 307 |      </p>
 | 
|---|
| 308 |   </li>
 | 
|---|
| 309 | </ul>
 | 
|---|
| 310 | 
 | 
|---|
| 311 | 
 | 
|---|
| 312 | <h2><a name="sect3">Downloading config/database files</a></h2>
 | 
|---|
| 313 | 
 | 
|---|
| 314 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 315 | The client does <i>not</i> tell the server the path to the requested
 | 
|---|
| 316 | file - it just requests a config or a database file. It's entirely the
 | 
|---|
| 317 | responsibility of the server to locate the correct file and send it.
 | 
|---|
| 318 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 319 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 320 | The server has a <i>data directory</i>, which by default would be 
 | 
|---|
| 321 | <tt>/var/lib/yule</tt>. Here the config/database files should be placed.
 | 
|---|
| 322 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 323 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 324 | Configuration files: <tt>rc.</tt><i>client.mydomain.tld</i> or 
 | 
|---|
| 325 | simply <tt>rc</tt> 
 | 
|---|
| 326 | (this can be used as a catchall file).
 | 
|---|
| 327 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 328 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 329 | Database files: <tt>file.</tt><i>client.mydomain.tld</i> or 
 | 
|---|
| 330 | simply <tt>file</tt> 
 | 
|---|
| 331 | (this can be used as a catchall file).
 | 
|---|
| 332 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 333 | 
 | 
|---|
| 334 | <h3>Problem #1</h3>
 | 
|---|
| 335 | 
 | 
|---|
| 336 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 337 | If the server cannot access the configuration (or database) file, either
 | 
|---|
| 338 | because it does not exist or the server has no read permission, the
 | 
|---|
| 339 | client will report <b>File download failed</b>. The server will
 | 
|---|
| 340 | report: <b>File not accessible</b>, <i>and</i> it will tell you in the
 | 
|---|
| 341 | same report the path where it would have expected the file (example):
 | 
|---|
| 342 | <b>path="/var/lib/yule/rc.client.mydomain.com"</b>
 | 
|---|
| 343 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 344 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 345 | To fix: put the file in the correct location, make sure the permissions
 | 
|---|
| 346 | are ok.
 | 
|---|
| 347 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 348 | 
 | 
|---|
| 349 | 
 | 
|---|
| 350 | <h2><a name="sect4">Other connection problems</a></h2>
 | 
|---|
| 351 | 
 | 
|---|
| 352 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 353 | The server has a table with client names and their session keys. If 
 | 
|---|
| 354 | another client process accesses the server from the same host,
 | 
|---|
| 355 | it will negotiate a fresh session key for that host. As a consequence,
 | 
|---|
| 356 | the session key of the first client process will become <i>invalid</i>.
 | 
|---|
| 357 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 358 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 359 | Also, the server keeps track of the status of a client. If a client 
 | 
|---|
| 360 | process does not announce its termination to the server, the server
 | 
|---|
| 361 | will not expect a <i>startup</i> message, and issue a warning for any
 | 
|---|
| 362 | such message.
 | 
|---|
| 363 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 364 | 
 | 
|---|
| 365 | <h3>Problem #1</h3>
 | 
|---|
| 366 | 
 | 
|---|
| 367 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 368 | The client reports: <b>Invalid connection state</b>. The server reports:
 | 
|---|
| 369 | <b>Invalid connection attempt: Signature mismatch</b>. This is a sign that
 | 
|---|
| 370 | a client has tried to connect using an invalid session key. Most probably,
 | 
|---|
| 371 | another instance of the client is/was started on the respective host.
 | 
|---|
| 372 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 373 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 374 | To fix: if you need to have concurrent access to the server, 
 | 
|---|
| 375 | suspend the first process with SIGUSR2 before starting the second. Use
 | 
|---|
| 376 | SIGUSR2 again to wake up the first process. Give the process a second or two
 | 
|---|
| 377 | to return into the main event loop and go into suspend mode. Do not just use
 | 
|---|
| 378 | SIGSTOP/SIGCONT: it is important that the client tells the server that
 | 
|---|
| 379 | it will go into suspend.
 | 
|---|
| 380 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 381 | 
 | 
|---|
| 382 | <h3>Problem #2</h3>
 | 
|---|
| 383 | 
 | 
|---|
| 384 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 385 | The server reports:
 | 
|---|
| 386 | <b>Restart without prior exit</b> for a client.
 | 
|---|
| 387 | This is a sign that
 | 
|---|
| 388 | a client has re-started without informing the server about a previous
 | 
|---|
| 389 | termination.
 | 
|---|
| 390 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 391 | <p>
 | 
|---|
| 392 | This would happen if the client was killed with SIGKILL, or if it terminated
 | 
|---|
| 393 | within the routine to send a message to the server (the routine is 
 | 
|---|
| 394 | not re-entrant). You may want to investigate messages logged via another
 | 
|---|
| 395 | logging facility (e.g. the client's local logfile). Of course it <i>may</i>
 | 
|---|
| 396 | also be a segfault, which would be reported via syslog.
 | 
|---|
| 397 | </p>
 | 
|---|
| 398 | 
 | 
|---|
| 399 | </div>
 | 
|---|
| 400 | </body>
 | 
|---|
| 401 | </html>
 | 
|---|