Network Device SNMP Traps & Syslog
Location
Central syslog server (rsyslog, syslog-ng) or SNMP trap receiver (Nagios, PRTG, LibreNMS)Description
Network device management messages sent via syslog (configuration changes, interface state changes, authentication events) and SNMP traps (threshold alerts, hardware failures, environmental warnings) from routers, switches, and appliances.
Forensic Value
Network device syslog messages capture configuration changes, interface up/down events, and authentication attempts on infrastructure devices that are often the first targets in sophisticated attacks. Configuration change logs with timestamps and source IPs identify unauthorized modifications to routing, ACLs, and SNMP communities. Interface flapping logs may indicate physical layer attacks or infrastructure instability caused by attackers. SNMP traps provide real-time alerts for environmental and hardware conditions affecting evidence availability.