Confirming a Successful Splunk Installation & Running the First Search. Verifying the SIEM's Pulse
Introduction
Validating Splunk's fundamental configuration was the focus of day two. I performed the initial search to test indexing, made sure services were operating correctly, and verified that the installation was successful. This acted as the first "pulse check" for the SIEM, verifying that the infrastructure was up and running and prepared to handle additional data onboarding and analysis.
Objective
Daily Goal:
Please verify that the Splunk Enterprise installation from Day 1 is successful and operational by running basic searches against its internal logs.
Success Criteria:
- Access the Splunk Web interface at http://localhost:8000.
- Execute a search and return results, proving data is being indexed.
- Specifically, locate Splunkd logs to confirm Splunk is monitoring its own activity.
The First Search - "Hello, World!" for SIEM
This initial search serves as a basic validation of the SIEM's functionality, ensuring it is indexing and processing data correctly. Running a simple query, such as searching for internal logs like Splunkd activity, confirms that the system is operational and ready for further use.
Search 1: The Basic Test
index=_internal | head 10
index=_internal: This tells Splunk to look in the _internal index, where it automatically stores its own operational and log data.
This is a pipeline command that returns only the first 10 events found.
Purpose: This test verifies that Splunk is running and has data. If this works, the core engine is functioning.
The Basic Test
index=_internal | head 10
Search 2: The Proof of Life
This search validates that the SIEM is actively indexing and processing data, serving as a critical step in confirming the system's functionality. By running a basic query, such as searching for recent activity logs, you ensure the SIEM is operational and capable of monitoring its environment.
index=_internal sourcetype=splunkd | head 20
sourcetype=splunkd: This filter narrows the results down to logs generated by the core Splunkd daemon (the primary Splunk process).
Purpose: Seeing these logs is definitive proof that Splunk is not just installed, but is actively running, generating data, and indexing it correctly. This is the "heartbeat" of your SIEM.
The Second Search - Targeting Key Logs
This search focuses on identifying and analyzing specific logs critical for monitoring and troubleshooting. By targeting key logs, such as system or application activity, you can confirm the SIEM is effectively collecting and processing relevant data for security analysis.
Look for Splunk logs, which confirm Splunk is generating and indexing its own operational data.
index=_internal sourcetype=splunkd | head 20
This proves the platform is alive and functioning.
Success Verification - Goal Achieved!
This step confirms that the SIEM setup is fully operational and meeting the defined success criteria. By successfully running searches and accessing critical logs, you validate that the system is indexing data and ready for further security monitoring and analysis.
Objective Completed:
- Splunk Web Accessed: Successfully logged in at localhost:8000.
- Search Executed: The index=_internal | head 10 search returned results.
- Core Logs Found: The sourcetype=splunkd filter returned specific, internal logs.
Conclusion: The Splunk foundation is solid, verified, and ready for external data. The SIEM is alive!
Day 2 Reflection - The Mindset
- I built the base on Day 1. On Day 2, I validated it.
- From Theory to Practice: I am now officially "inside" my DFIR lab, interacting with an authentic SIEM.
- The Importance of Verification: Assuming something works is not an option in security. Proof is everything.
- The Cornerstone: This successful verification is the cornerstone of my lab. Everything else in the challenge, every case, every investigation will be built upon this stable foundation.
Top comments (0)