Search Simple Mode

The Search experience in the Alert Logic console is intended to allow you to perform basic in Simple mode and advance searches in Expert mode for different data types.

Simple mode provides a graphical interface that allows you to add or remove conditions and fields, aggregate or add a function to predefined expressions, and determine sorting and order. Simple mode is optimized for performing common types of search queries. You can create a simple or common query in Simple mode, apply filters and grouping, and then switch to Expert mode to add more logic or complex functions. For more information about Search Expert Mode, see Search Expert Mode .

The Search page is flexible for structuring your own search queries or using fields, and predefined terms to help you find and organize messages most relevant to your investigation. Search supports variety of data sources that help you uncover potential threats, discover what data sources are present in an environment, and provide tools for further investigation.

To access the Search page:

  1. Click Searchin the Alert Logic console, and then click the Search tab.
  2. Click the drop-down list, and select Simple Mode.

Search process

The Search page is composed of Simple mode and Expert mode. Simple mode allows you to add or remove conditions and fields, aggregate or add a function to predefined expressions, and determine sorting and order. Expert mode allows you to create your own SQL searches and aggregations. For more information about Search Expert Mode, see Search Expert Mode . You can start a basic query in Simple mode, apply filters and grouping, then switch to Expert mode to add more logic or complex functions.

To create a successful search and maximize the use of the Search page in Simple mode, Alert Logic recommends becoming familiar with the following process:

  1. Build your query
  2. Refine your search
  3. Schedule a search
  4. Access your search results

For detailed information on how to structure your queries, see the Structure Query Language guide.

Search features in Simple mode

From the Alert Logic console Search page, you can use the following features in both modes:

  • Narrow search results by date and time range
  • Schedule search notifications
  • Save searches and schedule searches
  • Download search results
  • Work with messages

Other capabilities include that exists include:

  • Apply settings to your search, such as selecting a timezone
  • Use search tabs to execute and switch between multiple searches.
  • Load saved searches into the query and immediately download search results from the Saved Searches side panel

You can execute searches for the following data types in Simple mode:

  • Log messages
  • File Integrity Monitoring (FIM) data
  • Correlations
  • Network IDS event data

For an overview of all the Search features, see Get Started with Search.

Build your query

To start your query, in the FROM field, click the drop-down list to find the data type you need. You can also click the edit icon () to enter the data type you need. In the LIMIT field, enter the maximum amount of messages you want returned.

After you have entered a data type and specified your limit, you can then move on to the section under Where all of the following are true. In this section, you can modify search terms like the Time Received and Message fields to filter the results. You can enter more terms using the search bar. Enter a keyword to search for the term you want add, and then choose from the options that appear. You can also remove terms you do not need. You can apply values, functions, conditions, and aggregations. You can also specify how to group and sort results with the modified fields, show or hide the modified fields, and remove filters.

For example, to modify to the Time Received term:

  1. Click the add icon () to enter a value. To remove a value, click the remove icon (). To specify that you do not want this value in your results, click on the value to include NOT in front of it.
  2. Click the function icon () to select an aggregator or function to apply to the value.
  3. Click the show icon () to hide column for the search results of this term field. The results for this term field will show by default.
  4. Click the sorting icon () to sort the field by descending or ascending order.

You can also drag and drop terms in the order you want to see them organized as columns in the search results. Click SEARCH to execute your search.

Refining your search

From your search results, you can also enter message types or tokens. Click on the message type or token from the search results lists to add it to the search query.

You can further add a date and time range filter to any search you create. Select from the following ranges:

  • Last hour (default)
  • Last 6 hours
  • Last 12 hours
  • Last 24 hours
  • Last 7 days
  • Last 30 days

You can also use the calendar to create a custom date and time range.

The Alert Logic console displays time in your local time zone.

You are able to refine and execute searches as many times as necessary. You can execute more than one search at the same time when you need to run multiple searches at one time. You can see the tab of your search at the top of the Search page, and switch between search tabs.

You can configure settings to apply to all of your search results. Click Settings on the search page. You have the option to automatically transform the timestamps in data sources to your time zone.

Scheduling a search

After you enter a search, you can save and schedule a search which can serve as template. Click the down arrow (), and then click Save and Schedule Search to get started. For further instructions on how to save and schedule a search, see Saved and Scheduled Searches.

Click Saved Searches to view your recent executed searches and recent schedules searches. From the Saved Searches side panel, you can input searches and download search results to a CSV file. To manage your saved searches, click Managed saved searches to be redirected to the Saved Searches page. To view a list of all your search results from schedules searches, click See More to be redirected to the Downloads page.

You can also click the Saved Searches tab to view a list of your saved searches, view which scheduled saved searches and saved searches not on a schedule. From the Saved Search tab, you can managed your saved searches, including editing the search query, schedule, tags, and recipients, or adding a schedule to a saved search, and deleting searches. For more information, see Saved and Scheduled Searches.

Manage your search results

After you execute a search, you can view the details of messages that appear in the search results. Click a message to:

  • View a summary of the message
  • View the source properties
  • Add filters or tokens to the search query to refine results
  • Export the message summary to a CSV file
  • Create a manual incident from the message

For more information, see Manage Search Results Messages.

Download search results

If you need to download search results from scheduled searches, you can access search results from the Downloads page.

You can also download results from the Search page. Click Saved Searches, and then click the recent search for which you want to download search results. To view a list of all your search results from schedules searches, click See More to be redirected to the Downloads page. For more information, see Downloads.