Globally Limiting Intrusion Event Logging

The following topics describe how to globally limit intrusion event logging:

Global Rule Thresholding Basics

The global rule threshold sets limits for event logging by an intrusion policy. You can set a global rule threshold across all traffic to limit how often the policy logs events from a specific source or destination and displays those events per specified time period. You can also set thresholds per shared object rule, standard text rule, or preprocessor rule in the policy. When you set a global threshold, that threshold applies for each rule in the policy that does not have an overriding specific threshold. Thresholds can prevent you from being overwhelmed with a large number of events.

Every intrusion policy contains a default global rule threshold that applies by default to all intrusion rules and preprocessor rules. This default threshold limits the number of events on traffic going to a destination to one event per 60 seconds.

You can:

  • Change the global threshold.

  • Disable the global threshold.

  • Override the global threshold by setting individual thresholds for specific rules.

    For example, you might set a global limit threshold of five events every 60 seconds, but then set a specific threshold of ten events for every 60 seconds for SID 1315. All other rules generate no more than five events in each 60-second period, but the system generates up to ten events for each 60-second period for SID 1315.


Tip

A global or individual threshold on a managed device with multiple CPUs may result in a higher number of events than expected.

The following diagram demonstrates how the global rule thresholding works. In this example, an attack is in progress for a specific rule. The global limit threshold is set to limit event generation for each rule to two events every 20 seconds. Note that the period starts at one second and ends at 21 seconds. After the period ends, the cycle starts again and the next two rule matches generate events, then the system does not generate any more events during that period.


Diagram illustrating how the global rule threshold limits rule event generation for each threshold period

Global Rule Thresholding Options

The default threshold limits event generation for each rule to one event every 60 seconds on traffic going to the same destination. The default values for the global rule thresholding options are:

  • Type — Limit

  • Track By — Destination

  • Count — 1

  • Seconds — 60

You can modify these default values as follows:

Table 1. Thresholding Types

Option

Description

Limit

Logs and displays events for the specified number of packets (specified by the count argument) that trigger the rule during the specified time period.

For example, if you set the type to Limit, the Count to 10, and the Seconds to 60, and 14 packets trigger the rule, the system stops logging events for the rule after displaying the first 10 that occur within the same minute.

Threshold

Logs and displays a single event when the specified number of packets (specified by the count argument) trigger the rule during the specified time period. Note that the counter for the time restarts after you hit the threshold count of events and the system logs that event.

For example, you set the type to Threshold, Count to 10, and Seconds to 60, and the rule triggers 10 times by second 33. The system generates one event, then resets the Seconds and Count counters to 0. The rule then triggers another 10 times in the next 25 seconds. Because the counters reset to 0 at second 33, the system logs another event.

Both

Logs and displays an event once per specified time period, after the specified number (count) of packets trigger the rule.

For example, if you set the type to Both, Count to 2, and Seconds to 10, the following event counts result:

  • If the rule is triggered once in 10 seconds, the system does not generate any events (the threshold is not met)

  • If the rule is triggered twice in 10 seconds, the system generates one event (the threshold is met when the rule triggers the second time)

  • If the rule is triggered four times in 10 seconds, the system generates one event (the threshold is met when the rule triggered the second time and following events are ignored)

The Track By option determines whether the event instance count is calculated per source or destination IP address.

You can also specify the number of instances and time period that define the threshold, as follows:

Table 2. Thresholding Instance/Time Options

Option

Description

Count

For a Limit threshold, the number of event instances per specified time period per tracking IP address or address range required to meet the threshold.

For a Threshold threshold, the number of rule matches you want to use as your threshold.

Seconds

For a Limit threshold, the number of seconds that make up the time period when attacks are tracked.

For a Threshold threshold, the number of seconds that elapse before the count resets. If you set the threshold type to Limit, the tracking to Source, Count to 10, and Seconds to 10, the system logs and displays the first 10 events that occur in 10 seconds from a given source port. If only seven events occur in the first 10 seconds, the system logs and displays those, if 40 events occur in the first 10 seconds, the system logs and displays 10, then begins counting again when the 10-second time period elapses.

License Requirements for Global Thresholds

FTD License

Threat

Classic License

Protection

Requirements and Prerequisites for Global Thresholds

Model Support

Any

Supported Domains

Any

User Roles

  • Admin

  • Intrusion Admin

Configuring Global Thresholds

In a multidomain deployment, the system displays policies created in the current domain, which you can edit. It also displays policies created in ancestor domains, which you cannot edit. To view and edit policies created in a lower domain, switch to that domain.

Procedure

Step 1

Choose Policies > Access Control > Intrusion.

Step 2

Click Edit (edit icon) next to the policy you want to edit.

If View (view button) appears instead, the configuration belongs to an ancestor domain, or you do not have permission to modify the configuration.

Step 3

Click Advanced Settings in the navigation panel.

Step 4

If Global Rule Thresholding under Intrusion Rule Thresholds is disabled, click Enabled.

Step 5

Click Edit (edit icon) next to Global Rule Thresholding.

Step 6

Using Type, specify the type of threshold that will apply over the time you specify in the Seconds field.

Step 7

Using Track By, specify the tracking method.

Step 8

Enter a value in the Count field.

Step 9

Enter a value in the Seconds field.

Step 10

To save changes you made in this policy since the last policy commit, click Policy Information, then click Commit Changes.

If you leave the policy without committing changes, changes since the last commit are discarded if you edit a different policy.

What to do next

Disabling the Global Threshold

You can disable global thresholding in the highest policy layer if you want to threshold events for specific rules rather than applying thresholding to every rule by default.

In a multidomain deployment, the system displays policies created in the current domain, which you can edit. It also displays policies created in ancestor domains, which you cannot edit. To view and edit policies created in a lower domain, switch to that domain.

Procedure

Step 1

Choose Policies > Access Control > Intrusion

Step 2

Click Edit (edit icon) next to the policy you want to edit.

If View (view button) appears instead, the configuration belongs to an ancestor domain, or you do not have permission to modify the configuration.

Step 3

Click Advanced Settings in the navigation panel.

Step 4

Next to Global Rule Thresholding under Intrusion Rule Thresholds, click Disabled.

Step 5

To save changes you made in this policy since the last policy commit, click Policy Information, then click Commit Changes.

If you leave the policy without committing changes, changes since the last commit are discarded if you edit a different policy.

What to do next