DOKK / manpages / debian 12 / sniffit / sniffit.5.en
SNIFFIT(5) File Formats Manual SNIFFIT(5)

sniffit - configuration file for sniffit (name arbitrary)

This page describes the format for the config file for sniffit (see sniffit(8) ). This file allows you to specify in great detail witch packets should be processed by sniffit. This file also controls (or will control) some functions for the continuous logging ('-L' option).

A sniffit config file might look like (Be sure to end it with a BLANK line):

# Sniffit Sample Config file -- Brecht Claerhout
logfile /var/log/sniffit.today.log
# First select all packets!
select both mhosts 1
select both mhosts 2
# Now deselect all packets from/to those damn 'surfers'
deselect both port 80
deselect both port 8001

This file will tell sniffit to process all packets on the subnet except those FROM/TO ports 80 and 8001 (thus we don't want logs of those mass WWW connections witch turn our logs unreadable).

The file consists of lines, lines are formed by fields, fields are separated with SPACES (NO TABS). Unix comment lines (starting with '#' are allowed). So this gives us:

<field1> <field2> <field3> <field4> <field5>

<field1>
select - Sniffit will look for packets that match the following description (other fields)
deselect - Sniffit will ignore packets that match the description
logfile - change the logfile name to <field2> instead of the default 'sniffit.log'

<field2>
from - Packets FROM the host matching the following desc. are considered.
to - similar, Packets TO the....
both - similar, Packets FROM or TO the....
a filename - as an argument of 'logfile' in <field1>

<field3>
host - The (de)selection criteria involves a hostname.
port - similar, ... a portnumber
mhosts - The (de)selection criteria involves multiple-hosts, like with the wildcards in 0.3.0, but without the 'x'

<field4>
Either a hostname, a portnumber, a service name or a number-dot partial notation indicating multiple hosts depending on <field3> (service names like 'ftp' are resolved as the services available present on the host that runs Sniffit, and translated into a port nr)

<field5>
A portnumber, if <field3> was 'host' or 'mhosts' (optional, if not filled in, all ports are going to be (de)selected)

The config file is interpreted SEQUENTIAL, so watch it, don't mix lines in a file. Example:



      select both mhosts 100.100.12.


      deselect both port 80


      select both host 100.100.12.2
This file will get you the packets:


      a) Send by hosts '100.100.12.*'


      b) EXCEPT the WWW packets


      c) BUT showing the WWW packets concerning


         100.100.12.2


      select both mhosts 100.100.12.


      select both host 100.100.12.2


      deselect both port 80
Will give you the packets (probably unwanted result):


      a) Send by hosts '100.100.12.*'


      b) Send from/to 100.100.12.2 (useless line)


      c) deselecting all WWW packets on the subnet

Brecht Claerhout <coder@reptile.rug.ac.be>

sniffit(8)