Native Integrations

Apache web server log monitoring with Log360

Overview

ManageEngine Log360 collects, parses, stores, analyzes, correlates, and archives Apache web server logs—including access logs, error logs, and SSL logs—for effective log management and threat detection, investigation, and response.

How Log360 collects and analyzes Apache logs

Log360 offers a versatile, multifaceted approach to collecting Apache web server logs, accommodating various network configurations and administrative preferences through intelligent processing.

Collection methods

Agentless collection

Syslog forwarding: The most common and straightforward method is where Log360 acts as a syslog server, receiving Apache access and error logs via the standard syslog protocol—popular for its simplicity and native support in Unix-like systems.
Direct log file access: Log360 directly pulls logs from Apache servers by accessing log files (access.log or error.log) with appropriate credentials, eliminating the need for intermediate forwarding.

Agent-based collection

Lightweight agent deployment: For complex network topologies, or when enhanced security and managed collection are preferred, a lightweight agent installed on Apache servers securely forwards log data to the central Log360 server.

Log360's intelligent parsing automatically identifies log formats and extracts relevant fields regardless of the collection method, allowing organizations to choose the strategy that best aligns with their infrastructure and security policies.

Monitoring capabilities

Log360 collects and analyzes Apache web server logs from various sources:

Access logs: HTTP requests, response codes, user agents, referrers, and traffic patterns
Error logs: Server errors, application failures, configuration issues, and startup and shutdown events
SSL/TLS logs: Certificate events, encryption negotiations, and secure connection monitoring

Critical Apache events monitored

Log360 tracks essential Apache web server events, including the following:

HTTP response codes (2xx, 3xx, 4xx, and 5xx status analysis)
Failed authentication attempts and unauthorized access
Server errors and application crashes
Slow response times and performance bottlenecks
Suspicious request patterns and potential attacks
SSL/TLS handshake failures and certificate issues
Configuration changes and server restarts
High traffic volumes and bandwidth usage

Key benefits

Centralized web server visibility: Monitor all Apache servers from a single console, eliminating the need to check logs on individual web servers.
Real-time threat detection: Identify web-based attacks, SQL injection (SQLi) attempts, and suspicious traffic patterns as they occur.
Performance optimization: Track response times, identify slow URLs, and optimize server performance with detailed analytics.
Security analytics: Leverage advanced analytics to detect web application attacks, bot traffic, and anomalous user behavior.

Address key Apache security challenges with Log360

Challenge	Solution offered by Log360
Web application security	Detect and get alerted to common web attacks targeting your applications, including SQLi, cross-site scripting, directory traversal, and other OWASP Top 10 threats.
Traffic analysis and bot detection	Identify malicious bots, scrapers, and automated attacks while distinguishing legitimate traffic from suspicious patterns.
Performance monitoring	Monitor the health of your web servers by analyzing log data. Identify slow-loading pages, track server response times, monitor bandwidth consumption, and detect performance issues before they impact users.
SSL/TLS security monitoring	Ensure secure communications by monitoring for SSL/TLS-related errors, such as failed connection handshakes or the use of weak encryption protocols. Get alerts on issues that could compromise website data security.
Insider threat detection	Track user activity on critical servers, gaining a clear audit trail of who accessed what and when. Detect suspicious behavior from internal users, such as unauthorized attempts to access sensitive files or systems.