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<div><h1 class="title"><a id="id-1"></a>Use Linux Secure Computing Mode (seccomp)</h1><a class="edit_me" rel="nofollow" title="Edit this page on GitHub" href="https://github.com/elastic/apm-server/edit/7.2/docs/copied-from-beats/security/linux-seccomp.asciidoc">edit</a></div>
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<div class="chapter">
<div class="titlepage"><div><div>
<div class="position-relative"><h2 class="title"><a id="linux-seccomp"></a>Use Linux Secure Computing Mode (seccomp)</h2><a class="edit_me" rel="nofollow" title="Edit this page on GitHub" href="https://github.com/elastic/apm-server/edit/7.2/docs/copied-from-beats/security/linux-seccomp.asciidoc">edit</a></div>
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<div class="warning admon">
<div class="icon"></div>
<div class="admon_content">
<p>This functionality is in beta and is subject to change. The design and code is less mature than official GA features and is being provided as-is with no warranties. Beta features are not subject to the support SLA of official GA features.</p>
</div>
</div>
<p>On Linux 3.17 and later, APM Server can take advantage of secure computing
mode, also known as seccomp. Seccomp restricts the system calls that a process
can issue. Specifically APM Server can load a seccomp BPF filter at process
start-up that drops the privileges to invoke specific system calls. Once a
filter is loaded by the process it cannot be removed.</p>
<p>The kernel exposes a large number of system calls that are not used by
APM Server. By installing a seccomp filter, you can limit the total kernel
surface exposed to APM Server (principle of least privilege). This minimizes
the impact of unknown vulnerabilities that might be found in the process.</p>
<p>The filter is expressed as a Berkeley Packet Filter (BPF) program. The BPF
program is generated based on a policy defined by APM Server. The policy
can be customized through configuration as well.</p>
<p>A seccomp policy is architecture specific due to the fact that system calls vary
by architecture. APM Server includes a whitelist seccomp policy for the
amd64 and 386 architectures. You can view those policies
<a href="https://github.com/elastic/beats/tree/7.2/libbeat/common/seccomp" class="ulink" target="_top">here</a>.</p>
<div class="position-relative"><h3><a id="seccomp-policy-config"></a>Seccomp Policy Configuration</h3><a class="edit_me" rel="nofollow" title="Edit this page on GitHub" href="https://github.com/elastic/apm-server/edit/7.2/docs/copied-from-beats/security/linux-seccomp.asciidoc">edit</a></div>
<p>The seccomp policy can be customized through the configuration policy. This is
an example blacklist policy that prohibits <code class="literal">execve</code>, <code class="literal">execveat</code>, <code class="literal">fork</code>, and
<code class="literal">vfork</code> syscalls.</p>
<div class="pre_wrapper lang-yaml">
<div class="console_code_copy" title="Copy to clipboard"></div>
<pre class="programlisting prettyprint lang-yaml">seccomp:
  default_action: allow <a id="CO13-1"></a><i class="conum" data-value="1"></i>
  syscalls:
  - action: errno <a id="CO13-2"></a><i class="conum" data-value="2"></i>
    names: <a id="CO13-3"></a><i class="conum" data-value="3"></i>
    - execve
    - execveat
    - fork
    - vfork</pre>
</div>
<div class="calloutlist">
<table border="0" summary="Callout list">
<tr>
<td align="left" valign="top" width="5%">
<p><a href="#CO13-1"><i class="conum" data-value="1"></i></a></p>
</td>
<td align="left" valign="top">
<p>If the system call being invoked by the process does not match one of the
names below then it will be allowed.</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" valign="top" width="5%">
<p><a href="#CO13-2"><i class="conum" data-value="2"></i></a></p>
</td>
<td align="left" valign="top">
<p>If the system call being invoked matches one of the names below then an
error will be returned to caller. This is known as a blacklist policy.</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" valign="top" width="5%">
<p><a href="#CO13-3"><i class="conum" data-value="3"></i></a></p>
</td>
<td align="left" valign="top">
<p>These are system calls being prohibited.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<p>These are the configuration options for a seccomp policy.</p>
<div class="variablelist">
<dl class="variablelist">
<dt>
<span class="term">
<span class="strong strong"><strong><code class="literal">enabled</code></strong></span>
</span>
</dt>
<dd>
On Linux, this option is enabled by default. To disable seccomp
filter loading, set this option to <code class="literal">false</code>.
</dd>
<dt>
<span class="term">
<span class="strong strong"><strong><code class="literal">default_action</code></strong></span>
</span>
</dt>
<dd>
The default action to take when none of the defined system
calls match. See <a class="xref" href="linux-seccomp.html#seccomp-policy-config-action">action</a> for the full list of
values. This is required.
</dd>
<dt>
<span class="term">
<span class="strong strong"><strong><code class="literal">syscalls</code></strong></span>
</span>
</dt>
<dd>
Each object in this list must contain an <code class="literal">action</code> and a list of
system call <code class="literal">names</code>. The list must contain at least one item.
</dd>
<dt>
<span class="term">
<span class="strong strong"><strong><code class="literal">names</code></strong></span>
</span>
</dt>
<dd>
A list of system call names. The system call name must exist for
the runtime architecture, otherwise an error will be logged and the filter will
not be installed. At least one system call must be defined.
</dd>
</dl>
</div>
<div class="variablelist">
<a id="seccomp-policy-config-action"></a>
<dl class="variablelist">
<dt>
<span class="term">
<span class="strong strong"><strong><code class="literal">action</code></strong></span>
</span>
</dt>
<dd>
<p>
The action to take when any of the system calls listed in <code class="literal">names</code>
is executed. This is required. These are the available action values. The
actions that are available depend on the kernel version.
</p>
<div class="ulist itemizedlist">
<ul class="itemizedlist">
<li class="listitem">
<code class="literal">errno</code> - The system call will return <code class="literal">EPERM</code> (permission denied) to the
caller.
</li>
<li class="listitem">
<code class="literal">trace</code> - The kernel will notify a <code class="literal">ptrace</code> tracer. If no tracer is present
then the system call fails with <code class="literal">ENOSYS</code> (function not implemented).
</li>
<li class="listitem">
<code class="literal">trap</code> - The kernel will send a <code class="literal">SIGSYS</code> signal to the calling thread and not
execute the system call. The Go runtime will exit.
</li>
<li class="listitem">
<code class="literal">kill_thread</code> - The kernel will immediately terminate the thread. Other
threads will continue to execute.
</li>
<li class="listitem">
<code class="literal">kill_process</code> - The kernel will terminate the process. Available in Linux
4.14 and later.
</li>
<li class="listitem">
<code class="literal">log</code> - The kernel will log the system call before executing it. Available in
Linux 4.14 and later. (This does not go to the Beat&#8217;s log.)
</li>
<li class="listitem">
<code class="literal">allow</code> - The kernel will allow the system call to execute.
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</dd>
</dl>
</div>
<div class="position-relative"><h3><a id="_auditbeat_reports_seccomp_violations"></a>Auditbeat Reports Seccomp Violations</h3><a class="edit_me" rel="nofollow" title="Edit this page on GitHub" href="https://github.com/elastic/apm-server/edit/7.2/docs/copied-from-beats/security/linux-seccomp.asciidoc">edit</a></div>
<p>You can use Auditbeat to report any seccomp violations that occur on the system.
The kernel generates an event for each violation and Auditbeat reports the
event. The <code class="literal">event.action</code> value will be <code class="literal">violated-seccomp-policy</code> and the event
will contain information about the process and system call.</p>
</div>
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