Provided by: arpalert_2.0.12-1_amd64 
NAME
arpalert - ARP traffic monitoring
DESCRIPTION
Arpalert uses ARP protocol monitoring to prevent unauthorized connections on the local network. If an
illegal connection is detected, a program or script could be launched, which could be used to send an
alert message, for example.
COMMAND LINE
-f config_file
Specify the config file.
-i interface
Comma separated network interfaces listen to.
-p pid_file
Use this pid file. this file containis a pid number of the arpalert session. If the file exist and
his locked, the daemon do not run.
-e exec_script
Script launched when an alert is send.
-D log_level
The level logged. The levels are between 0 (emergency) and 7 (debug). If 3 is selected all levels
bitween 0 and 3 are logged.
-l leases_file
This file contain a dump of the mac address in memory (see config file).
-m module file
Specify a module file to load
-d Run as daemon.
-F Run in foreground.
-v Watch on screen all the option selected (the options specified in config file and the default
options)
-h The help command line.
-w Debug option: print a dump of packets captured.
-P Set the interface in promiscuous mode (don't set this if only the arp analyse is used).
-V Print version and quit.
CONFIGURATION FILE
The config file contains 3 types of data: integer, string and boolean. The boolean type can take values
'oui', 'true', 'yes', '1' for the true values or 'non', 'no', 'false', '0' for the falses values.
user = arpalert
Use privileges separation with this user
umask = 177
Uses this umask for file creation.
chroot dir = /home/thierry/arp_test/
Use this directory for program jail
If this option is commented out, the program does not use chroot.
The program read the config file and open the syslog socket before the chroot:
The kill -HUP does not work with chroot.
If the syslog program is restarted, the socket change and the arpalert syslog system can't be
connect to the new socket: the logs with syslog are disabled. Prefere to use the log file.
The file pathes are relative to the chroot dir (except the config file)
log file = /var/log/arpalert.log
The program log into this file
If this option is commented out, the internal system log is not used.
The internal system logs can be used in same time that syslog.
log level = 6
The level logged. The levels are between 0 (emergency) and 7 (debug). If 3 is selected all levels
between 0 and 3 are logged.
use syslog = true
If this option is false, the syslog system is disabled
maclist file = /etc/arpalert/maclist.allow
White list
maclist alert file = /etc/arpalert/maclist.deny
Black list
maclist leases file = /var/lib/arpalert/arpalert.leases
Dump file
dump inter = 5
Minimun time to wait between two leases dump
auth request file = /etc/arpalert/authrq.conf
List of authorized request
lock file = /var/run/arpalert.pid
pid file
dump packet = false
Only for debugging: this dump packet received on standard output. The syntax "dump paquet" is also
avalaible, but is deprecated
daemon = false
If is set to true, run the program as daemon
interface = ""
Comma separated network interfaces leisten to. If this value is not specified, the soft select the
first interface.
catch only arp = TRUE
Configure the network for catch only arp request. The detection type "new_mac" is deactived.
This mode is used for CPU saving if Arpalert is running on a router
mod on detect = ""
Module file loaded by arpalert. This module is launched on each valid alert. This system avoids a
costly fork/exec
mod config = ""
This chain is transferred to the init function of module loaded
action on detect = ""
Script launched on each detection. Parameters are:
- mac address of requestor,
- ip of requestor,
- supp. parm.,
- ethernet device listening on
- type of alert,
- optional: ethernet vendor
type of alert:
0: IP change
1: Mac address already detected but not in white list
2: Mac address in black list
3: New mac address
4: Unauthorized arp request
5: Abusive number of arp request detected
6: Ethernet mac address different from arp mac address
7: Flood detected
8: New mac address whithout ip address
execution timeout = 10
Script execution timeout (seconds)
max alert = 20
Maximun simultaneous lanched script
dump black list = false
Dump the black listed mac address in leases file
dump white list = false
Dump the white listed mac address in leases file
dump new address = true
Dump the new mac address in leases file
mac timeout = 259200
After this time a mac address is removed from memory (seconds) (default 1 month)
max entry = 1000000
After this limit the memory hash is cleaned (protect to arp flood)
anti flood interval = 10
This sends only one mismatch alert in this time (in seconds)
anti flood global = 50
If the number of arp request in seconds exceeds this value, all alerts are ignored for "anti flood
interval" time
mac vendor file = ""
This file contain the association from mac address to vendor name. This file can be downloaded
here: http://standards.ieee.org/regauth/oui/oui.txt
log mac vendor = false
Log vendor name
alert mac vendor = false
Give vendor name to script
mod mac vendor = false
Give vendor name to module
log referenced address, alert on referenced address, mod on referenced address = false
Log/launch script/call module if the address is referenced in hash but is not in white list
log deny address, alert on deny address, mod on deny address = true
Log/launch script/call module if the mac address is in black list
log new address, alert on new address, mod on new address = true
Log/launch script/call module if the address isn't referenced
log mac change, alert on mac change, mod on mac change = true
Log/launch script/call module if the mac address is different from the last arp request with the
same ip address
log ip change, alert on ip change, mod on ip change = true
Log/launch script/call module if the ip address is different from the last arp request with the
same mac address
log unauth request, alert on unauth request, mod on unauth request = true
Unauthorized arp request: launch if the request is not authorized in auth file
ignore unknown sender = true
Don't analyse arp request for unknow hosts (not in white list)
ignore self test = true
Ignore ARP self test generated by windows dhcp for unauthorized request detection
ignore me = true
Ignore arp request with mac addresse of the listing interfaces for the authorizations checks
unauth ignore time method = 2
Select suspend time method:
1: ignore all unauth alerts during "anti flood interval" time
2: ignore only tuple (mac address, ip address) during "anti flood interval" time
log request abus, alert on request abus, mod on request abus = true
Log/launch script/call module if the number of request per seconds are > "max request"
max request = 1000000
Maximun request authorized by second
log mac error, alert on mac error, mod on mac error = true
Log/launch script/call module if the ethernet mac address is different than the arp mac address
(only for requestor)
log flood = true, alert on flood = true, mod on flood = true
Log/launch script/call module if have too many arp request per seconds
log expire mac address = true, alert on expire mac address = true, mod on expire mac address = true
Log/launch script/call module if the ethernet mac address expire
expire authorized mac addresses = true
Allow authorized mac addresses to expire
DATA FILES FORMATS
/etc/arpalert/maclist.allow and /etc/arpalert/maclist.deny:
All the line with # as a first caracter are ignored
The data on this file take this form
<MAC_ADRESS> <IP_ADDRESS> <DEVICE> [<FLAG> <FLAG> <FLAG> ...]
The available flags are:
ip_change: Ignore ip change alert for this mac address
black_listed: Ignore black list alerts for this mac address
unauth_rq: Ignore unauthorized requests for this mac address
rq_abus: Ignore request abuse for this mac address
mac_error: Ignore mac error for this mac address
mac_change: Ignore mac change for this mac address
mac_expire: Never expire this mac address. Useful if the option "expire authorized mac addresses"
is used
/etc/arpalert/authrq.conf:
All the words after # character are ignored
All the blank characters are ignored
The authorisations list for one mac address begins by the mac address into brackets
All the next values are ip hosts addresses or ip networks addresses (with /xx notion)
[<MAC_ADRESS> <DEVICE>] <IP_ADRESS>
<IP_ADRESS>/<BITS>
FILES
sbin/arpalert: binary file
etc/arpalert/arpalert.conf: default config file
var/run/arpalert.pid: pid file
var/state/arpalert.leases: leases file
2006-05-09 ARPALERT(8)