auditd

auditd is a command line tool and a system daemon that serves as the primary interface for the Linux Auditing System. It is used for enabling, configuring, and controlling the audit framework in a Linux system.

The Linux Auditing System is a powerful tool that allows administrators to monitor and log security-related events occurring on a system. It can track activities like user logins, file access, process execution, system calls, and other various actions.

Using auditd, administrators can define specific rules and filters to capture the desired events and store them in audit logs. These logs can be used for auditing, compliance, troubleshooting, and forensic analysis purposes. Audit logs provide a detailed record of activities happening on the system, including vital information like the user responsible, the time of the event, and the involved resources.

With auditd, administrators can configure various settings such as log location, log rotation, event selection, filtering, and action triggering. Additionally, it provides options to customize the output format of the logs and supports logging to remote systems.

Auditd is usually installed by default on many Linux distributions and plays an essential role in enhancing the security, accountability, and traceability of system activities.