[GH-ISSUE #3122] Connection overview #6721

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opened 2026-08-05 01:09:45 -04:00 by saavagebueno · 6 comments
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Originally created by @M0nk3yOo on GitHub (Dec 29, 2024).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/3122

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
No

Describe the solution you'd like
Add additional information to the activity log.
Which client tries to reach which resource, with which port (+ routing path). Log could looks like:
image

This should show an administrator more advanced logs for troubleshooting/overview.
Allowed and blocked connection would be useful. This overview should also validate the expected (client) configuration

Additional context
Used platform: selfhosted

Originally created by @M0nk3yOo on GitHub (Dec 29, 2024). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/3122 **Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.** No **Describe the solution you'd like** Add additional information to the activity log. Which client tries to reach which resource, with which port (+ routing path). Log could looks like: <img width="760" alt="image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/f38e1c7a-7264-49c0-a2c1-93a097ce546f" /> This should show an administrator more advanced logs for troubleshooting/overview. Allowed and blocked connection would be useful. This overview should also validate the expected (client) configuration **Additional context** Used platform: selfhosted
saavagebueno added the feature-request label 2026-08-05 01:09:45 -04:00
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@Gauss23 commented on GitHub (Dec 30, 2024):

I don't know if this is really in the sense of the idea of Netbird. The clients/peers would need to send those metrics to the central management server. When possible Netbird routes traffic directly between the peers, so the management server does not see this traffic at all. And even in relayed mode it only sees that there is traffic flowing from A to B but not the content of the traffic and therefore no ports etc. It would add a lot of cpu load and data which would need to be stored and computed.

What you are suggesting is an approach like Zscaler PIA or ZPA, where Zscaler knows all the traffic.
Technically I would think it's possible, but is this the idea behind Netbird? One is based on privacy and the other one is based on complete observation.

<!-- gh-comment-id:2565935600 --> @Gauss23 commented on GitHub (Dec 30, 2024): I don't know if this is really in the sense of the idea of Netbird. The clients/peers would need to send those metrics to the central management server. When possible Netbird routes traffic directly between the peers, so the management server does not see this traffic at all. And even in relayed mode it only sees that there is traffic flowing from A to B but not the content of the traffic and therefore no ports etc. It would add a lot of cpu load and data which would need to be stored and computed. What you are suggesting is an approach like Zscaler PIA or ZPA, where Zscaler knows all the traffic. Technically I would think it's possible, but is this the idea behind Netbird? One is based on privacy and the other one is based on complete observation.
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@M0nk3yOo commented on GitHub (Dec 31, 2024):

Thanks a lot for your detailed explanation!
I'm currently testing Netbird as a ZTNA. And yes, it makes sense that the management couldn't see the traffic (the sense behind VPN, without man in the middle).
So, if I need additional information, I could/should use the agent debug logs, couldn't I?

<!-- gh-comment-id:2566366786 --> @M0nk3yOo commented on GitHub (Dec 31, 2024): Thanks a lot for your detailed explanation! I'm currently testing Netbird as a ZTNA. And yes, it makes sense that the management couldn't see the traffic (the sense behind VPN, without man in the middle). So, if I need additional information, I could/should use the agent debug logs, couldn't I?
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@Gauss23 commented on GitHub (Dec 31, 2024):

Yes that's an option or add a free XDR tool like Wazuh or Security Onion to your environment.

<!-- gh-comment-id:2566443234 --> @Gauss23 commented on GitHub (Dec 31, 2024): Yes that's an option or add a free XDR tool like Wazuh or Security Onion to your environment.
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@M0nk3yOo commented on GitHub (Dec 31, 2024):

Wazuh might be an option, but those integrations aren't available on self hosted environments :-(
https://docs.netbird.io/how-to/activity-event-streaming

In addition: there seems no 3rd party SIEM integration available in the settings

<!-- gh-comment-id:2566474668 --> @M0nk3yOo commented on GitHub (Dec 31, 2024): Wazuh might be an option, but those integrations aren't available on self hosted environments :-( https://docs.netbird.io/how-to/activity-event-streaming In addition: there seems no 3rd party SIEM integration available in the settings
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@Gauss23 commented on GitHub (Dec 31, 2024):

Sorry, I meant not integrated with Netbird, but as a general tool for your environment with agents on all clients. It would cover all traffic your clients are generating, not only the Netbird connections and traffic.

<!-- gh-comment-id:2566502545 --> @Gauss23 commented on GitHub (Dec 31, 2024): Sorry, I meant not integrated with Netbird, but as a general tool for your environment with agents on all clients. It would cover all traffic your clients are generating, not only the Netbird connections and traffic.
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@the-project-group commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025):

I'm also hoping for such a feature because you loose visibility over what's going on.
If you use routing peers and don't masquerade, you can get some insights with a logging firewall between the routing peer and the resources.
Implementation wise probably the only way is letting the peers ship their activity to a SIEM / log shipping service due to the management not seeing any client traffic.

The naming of the "Network Activity Logging" feature could be misleading. It's more a Netbird config audit log...

Image

I do "PTR lookups" by exporting IP<>Hostname information via Netbird API:
https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/3214#issuecomment-2601766878

<!-- gh-comment-id:2601794793 --> @the-project-group commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025): I'm also hoping for such a feature because you loose visibility over what's going on. If you use routing peers and don't masquerade, you can get some insights with a logging firewall between the routing peer and the resources. Implementation wise probably the only way is letting the peers ship their activity to a SIEM / log shipping service due to the management not seeing any client traffic. The naming of the "[Network Activity Logging](https://docs.netbird.io/how-to/monitor-system-and-network-activity)" feature could be misleading. It's more a Netbird config audit log... ![Image](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/8361be73-cb28-4dce-a91c-b3de98adc2b6) I do "PTR lookups" by exporting IP<>Hostname information via Netbird API: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/3214#issuecomment-2601766878
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Reference: DYNR/netbird#6721