zeek/doc/input.rst

==============================================
Loading Data into Bro with the Input Framework
==============================================

.. rst-class:: opening

   Bro now features a flexible input frameworks that allows users
   to import data into Bro. Data is either read into Bro tables or
   converted to events which can then be handled by scripts.

The input framework is  merged into the git master and we
will give a short summary on how to use it.
The input framework is automatically compiled and installed
together with Bro. The interface to it is exposed via the
scripting layer.

This document gives the most common examples. For more complex
scenarios it is worthwhile to take a look at the unit tests in
``testing/btest/scripts/base/frameworks/input/``.

.. contents::

Reading Data into Tables
========================

Probably the most interesting use-case of the input framework is to
read data into a Bro table.

By default, the input framework reads the data in the same format
as it is written by the logging framework in Bro - a tab-separated
ASCII file.

We will show the ways to read files into Bro with a simple example.
For this example we assume that we want to import data from a blacklist
that contains server IP addresses as well as the timestamp and the reason
for the block.

An example input file could look like this:

::

        #fields ip timestamp reason
        192.168.17.1 1333252748 Malware host
        192.168.27.2 1330235733 Botnet server
        192.168.250.3 1333145108 Virus detected

To read a file into a Bro table, two record types have to be defined.
One contains the types and names of the columns that should constitute the
table keys and the second contains the types and names of the columns that
should constitute the table values.

In our case, we want to be able to lookup IPs. Hence, our key record
only contains the server IP. All other elements should be stored as
the table content.

The two records are defined as:

.. code:: bro

        type Idx: record {
                ip: addr;
        };

        type Val: record {
                timestamp: time;
                reason: string;
        };

ote that the names of the fields in the record definitions have to correspond to
the column names listed in the '#fields' line of the log file, in this case 'ip',
'timestamp', and 'reason'.

The log file is read into the table with a simple call of the add_table function:

.. code:: bro

        global blacklist: table[addr] of Val = table();

        Input::add_table([$source="blacklist.file", $name="blacklist", $idx=Idx, $val=Val, $destination=blacklist]);
        Input::remove("blacklist");

With these three lines we first create an empty table that should contain the
blacklist data and then instruct the Input framework to open an input stream
named ``blacklist`` to read the data into the table. The third line removes the
input stream again, because we do not need it any more after the data has been
read.

Because some data files can - potentially - be rather big, the input framework
works asynchronously. A new thread is created for each new input stream.
This thread opens the input data file, converts the data into a Bro format and
sends it back to the main Bro thread.

Because of this, the data is not immediately accessible. Depending on the
size of the data source it might take from a few milliseconds up to a few seconds
until all data is present in the table. Please note that this means that when Bro
is running without an input source or on very short captured files, it might terminate
before the data is present in the system (because Bro already handled all packets
before the import thread finished).

Subsequent calls to an input source are queued until the previous action has been
completed. Because of this, it is, for example, possible to call ``add_table`` and
``remove`` in two subsequent lines: the ``remove`` action will remain queued until
the first read has been completed.

Once the input framework finishes reading from a data source, it fires the ``update_finished``
event. Once this event has been received all data from the input file is available
in the table.

.. code:: bro

        event Input::update_finished(name: string, source: string) {
                # now all data is in the table
                print blacklist;
        }

The table can also already be used while the data is still being read - it just might
not contain all lines in the input file when the event has not yet fired. After it has
been populated it can be used like any other Bro table and blacklist entries easily be
tested:

.. code:: bro

        if ( 192.168.18.12 in blacklist )
                # take action


Re-reading and streaming data
-----------------------------

For many data sources, like for many blacklists, the source data is continually
changing. For this cases, the Bro input framework supports several ways to
deal with changing data files.

The first, very basic method is an explicit refresh of an input stream. When an input
stream is open, the function ``force_update`` can be called. This will trigger
a complete refresh of the table; any changed elements from the file will be updated.
After the update is finished the ``update_finished`` event will be raised.

In our example the call would look like:

.. code:: bro

        Input::force_update("blacklist");

The input framework also supports two automatic refresh mode. The first mode
continually checks if a file has been changed. If the file has been changed, it
is re-read and the data in the Bro table is updated to reflect the current state.
Each time a change has been detected and all the new data has been read into the
table, the ``update_finished`` event is raised.

The second mode is a streaming mode. This mode assumes that the source data file
is an append-only file to which new data is continually appended. Bro continually
checks for new data at the end of the file and will add the new data to the table.
If newer lines in the file have the same index as previous lines, they will overwrite
the values in the output table.
Because of the nature of streaming reads (data is continually added to the table),
the ``update_finished`` event is never raised when using streaming reads.

The reading mode can be selected by setting the ``mode`` option of the add_table call.
Valid values are ``MANUAL`` (the default), ``REREAD`` and ``STREAM``.

Hence, when using adding ``$mode=Input::REREAD`` to the previous example, the blacklists
table will always reflect the state of the blacklist input file.

.. code:: bro

        Input::add_table([$source="blacklist.file", $name="blacklist", $idx=Idx, $val=Val, $destination=blacklist, $mode=Input::REREAD]);

Receiving change events
-----------------------

When re-reading files, it might be interesting to know exactly which lines in the source
files have changed.

For this reason, the input framework can raise an event each time when a data item is added to,
removed from or changed in a table.

The event definition looks like this:

.. code:: bro

        event entry(description: Input::TableDescription, tpe: Input::Event, left: Idx, right: Val) {
                # act on values
        }

The event has to be specified in ``$ev`` in the ``add_table`` call:

.. code:: bro

        Input::add_table([$source="blacklist.file", $name="blacklist", $idx=Idx, $val=Val, $destination=blacklist, $mode=Input::REREAD, $ev=entry]);

The ``description`` field of the event contains the arguments that were originally supplied to the add_table call.
Hence, the name of the stream can, for example,  be accessed with ``description$name``. ``tpe`` is an enum containing
the type of the change that occurred.

It will contain ``Input::EVENT_NEW``, when a line that was not previously been
present in the table has been added. In this case ``left`` contains the Index of the added table entry and ``right`` contains
the values of the added entry.

If a table entry that already was present is altered during the re-reading or streaming read of a file, ``tpe`` will contain
``Input::EVENT_CHANGED``. In this case ``left`` contains the Index of the changed table entry and ``right`` contains the
values of the entry before the change. The reason for this is, that the table already has been updated when the event is
raised. The current value in the table can be ascertained by looking up the current table value. Hence it is possible to compare
the new and the old value of the table.

``tpe`` contains ``Input::REMOVED``, when a table element is removed because it was no longer present during a re-read.
In this case ``left`` contains the index and ``right`` the values of the removed element.


Filtering data during import
----------------------------

The input framework also allows a user to filter the data during the import. To this end, predicate functions are used. A predicate
function is called before a new element is added/changed/removed from a table. The predicate can either accept or veto
the change by returning true for an accepted change and false for an rejected change. Furthermore, it can alter the data
before it is written to the table.

The following example filter will reject to add entries to the table when they were generated over a month ago. It
will accept all changes and all removals of values that are already present in the table.

.. code:: bro

        Input::add_table([$source="blacklist.file", $name="blacklist", $idx=Idx, $val=Val, $destination=blacklist, $mode=Input::REREAD,
                        $pred(typ: Input::Event, left: Idx, right: Val) = {
                                if ( typ != Input::EVENT_NEW ) {
                                        return T;
                                }
                                return ( ( current_time() - right$timestamp ) < (30 day) );
                        }]);

To change elements while they are being imported, the predicate function can manipulate ``left`` and ``right``. Note
that predicate functions are called before the change is committed to the table. Hence, when a table element is changed ( ``tpe``
is ``INPUT::EVENT_CHANGED`` ), ``left`` and ``right`` contain the new values, but the destination (``blacklist`` in our example)
still contains the old values. This allows predicate functions to examine the changes between the old and the new version before
deciding if they should be allowed.

Different readers
-----------------

The input framework supports different kinds of readers for different kinds of source data files. At the moment, the default
reader reads ASCII files formatted in the Bro log-file-format (tab-separated values). At the moment, Bro comes with two
other readers. The ``RAW`` reader reads a file that is split by a specified record separator (usually newline). The contents
are returned line-by-line as strings; it can, for example, be used to read configuration files and the like and is probably
only useful in the event mode and not for reading data to tables.

Another included reader is the ``BENCHMARK`` reader, which is being used to optimize the speed of the input framework. It
can generate arbitrary amounts of semi-random data in all Bro data types supported by the input framework.

In the future, the input framework will get support for new data sources like, for example, different databases.

Add_table options
-----------------

This section lists all possible options that can be used for the add_table function and gives
a short explanation of their use. Most of the options already have been discussed in the
previous sections.

The possible fields that can be set for an table stream are:

        ``source``
                A mandatory string identifying the source of the data.
                For the ASCII reader this is the filename.

        ``name``
                A mandatory name for the filter that can later be used
                to manipulate it further.

        ``idx``
                Record type that defines the index of the table

        ``val``
                Record type that defines the values of the table

                ``reader``
                The reader used for this stream. Default is ``READER_ASCII``.

        ``mode``
                The mode in which the stream is opened. Possible values are ``MANUAL``, ``REREAD`` and ``STREAM``.
                Default is ``MANUAL``.
                ``MANUAL`` means, that the files is not updated after it has been read. Changes to the file will not
                be reflected in the data Bro knows.
                ``REREAD`` means that the whole file is read again each time a change is found. This should be used for
                files that are mapped to a table where individual lines can change.
                ``STREAM`` means that the data from the file is streamed. Events / table entries will be generated as new
                data is added to the file.

        ``destination``
                The destination table

        ``ev``
                Optional event that is raised, when values are added to, changed in or deleted from the table.
                Events are passed an Input::Event description as the first argument, the index record as the second argument
                and the values as the third argument.

        ``pred``
                Optional predicate, that can prevent entries from being added to the table and events from being sent.

        ``want_record``
                Boolean value, that defines if the event wants to receive the fields inside of
                a single record value, or individually (default).
                This can be used, if ``val`` is a record containing only one type. In this case,
                if ``want_record`` is set to false, the table will contain elements of the type
                contained in ``val``.

Reading data to events
======================

The second supported mode of the input framework is reading data to Bro events instead
of reading them to a table using event streams.

Event streams work very similarly to table streams that were already discussed in much
detail. To read the blacklist of the previous example into an event stream, the following
Bro code could be used:

.. code:: bro

        type Val: record {
                ip: addr;
                timestamp: time;
                reason: string;
        };

        event blacklistentry(description: Input::EventDescription, tpe: Input::Event, ip: addr, timestamp: time, reason: string) {
                # work with event data
        }

        event bro_init() {
                Input::add_event([$source="blacklist.file", $name="blacklist", $fields=Val, $ev=blacklistentry]);
        }


The main difference in the declaration of the event stream is, that an event stream needs no
separate index and value declarations -- instead, all source data types are provided in a single
record definition.

Apart from this, event streams work exactly the same as table streams and support most of the options
that are also supported for table streams.

The options that can be set for when creating an event stream with ``add_event`` are:

        ``source``
                A mandatory string identifying the source of the data.
                For the ASCII reader this is the filename.

        ``name``
                A mandatory name for the stream that can later be used
                to remove it.

        ``fields``
                Name of a record type containing the fields, which should be retrieved from
                the input stream.

        ``ev``
                The event which is fired, after a line has been read from the input source.
                The first argument that is passed to the event is an Input::Event structure,
                followed by the data, either inside of a record (if ``want_record is set``) or as
                individual fields.
                The Input::Event structure can contain information, if the received line is ``NEW``, has
                been ``CHANGED`` or ``DELETED``. Singe the ASCII reader cannot track this information
                for event filters, the value is always ``NEW`` at the moment.

        ``mode``
                The mode in which the stream is opened. Possible values are ``MANUAL``, ``REREAD`` and ``STREAM``.
                Default is ``MANUAL``.
                ``MANUAL`` means, that the files is not updated after it has been read. Changes to the file will not
                be reflected in the data Bro knows.
                ``REREAD`` means that the whole file is read again each time a change is found. This should be used for
                files that are mapped to a table where individual lines can change.
                ``STREAM`` means that the data from the file is streamed. Events / table entries will be generated as new
                data is added to the file.

        ``reader``
                The reader used for this stream. Default is ``READER_ASCII``.

        ``want_record``
                Boolean value, that defines if the event wants to receive the fields inside of
                a single record value, or individually (default). If this is set to true, the
                event will receive a single record of the type provided in ``fields``.