osquery Queries Pages

This section provides an overview of the osquery queries pages, explaining what they are, how to use them, and why they are important.

What are osquery Queries Pages?

osquery is an open-source tool that allows you to query your operating system like a database using SQL-like syntax. It exposes system data in tables you can query in real time, which is incredibly useful for monitoring, security auditing, and troubleshooting.

Queries pages are web pages or documentation that list and describe the set of osquery queries available, their purpose, and how you can run or customize them.

Purpose of osquery Queries Pages

• Discoverability: Help users understand what queries exist and what data they retrieve.
• Guidance: Provide examples of how to run queries and interpret results.
• Customization: Show how to modify or write new queries tailored to specific needs.
• Monitoring & Security: Assist in detecting anomalies, security threats, or system status by regularly running these queries.

How to Use osquery Queries Pages

1. Browse the queries: Review the list of available queries categorized by function (e.g., process monitoring, file integrity, user activity).
2. Run queries: Use the osquery shell or integrate queries into scheduled jobs to gather system data.
3. Analyze output: Interpret the results to identify any unusual activity or system information you need.
4. Customize or create: Adjust existing queries or create new ones to better fit your environment or requirements.

Example Queries

-- List running processes
SELECT pid, name, path FROM processes WHERE on_disk = 1;

-- Check for loaded kernel modules
SELECT name, path, version FROM kernel_modules;

-- Monitor user logins
SELECT * FROM last;

-- Detect suspicious files
SELECT * FROM file WHERE md5 IN (SELECT md5 FROM known_malicious_hashes);