macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install logchecklocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew
Install logcheck with Homebrew, apk, apt, Nix, zypper
Mail anomalies in the system logfiles to the administrator. Version 1.4.7 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add logcheckAlpine Linux edge package indexes · logcheck · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install logcheckDebian stable package indexes · logcheck · source: deb.debian.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#logchecknixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/lo/logcheck/package.nix · source: api.github.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install logtailopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · logtail · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Mail anomalies in the system logfiles to the administrator
Project links
Commands and aliases
- logcheck
- logcheck-test
- logtail
- logtail2
history
Project history and usage
logcheck is a Debian-oriented log monitoring tool that scans system logs for unexpected entries and emails reports to the administrator. It focuses on filtering routine messages out so security violations, attack alerts, and unusual system events stand out.
Project history
Debian's package page says logcheck was originally part of the Abacus Project security tools and was later rewritten. The Debian repository's change notes describe the Debian package becoming effectively Debian-native after a major overhaul around version 1.1.9.1 because Debian's version had diverged substantially from the old upstream 1.1.1 code.
The current Debian Salsa repository presents logcheck as the maintained source home for Debian packaging, with the project description centered on mailing summaries of log file entries to administrators via cron.
Adoption history
logcheck's adoption is strongest in Debian-family systems, where its manpages, package page, and logcheck-database rules are first-class distribution artifacts. The supplied package metadata also records package availability in Homebrew, Alpine, Nix, openSUSE, Debian, and Ubuntu.
The package belongs to an older Unix administration style: periodic cron jobs, regex rule directories in /etc, and email to root or an administrator. That style remains useful on servers where a small local checker is preferable to a centralized log pipeline.
How it is used
The logcheck command runs by default as an hourly cron job and after reboot. It filters messages at paranoid, server, or workstation levels, sorts reports into system events, security events, and attack alerts, and sends email only when messages survive the rules.
Administrators tune it through `/etc/logcheck/logcheck.conf`, monitored-file lists, and rule directories such as cracking.d, violations.d, violations.ignore.d, and ignore.d.*. The logcheck-database documentation emphasizes writing precise extended regular expressions and testing new rules with logcheck-test.
Why package nerds care
logcheck is a packaging-culture artifact: much of its value lives in distribution-maintained regex databases and package-specific rule files, not in a large binary. It is a useful example of Debian packaging acting as upstream stewardship for a security-administration workflow.
Timeline
- Pre-1.1.9.1: logcheck originates in the Abacus Project security tools and is later rewritten.
- 1.1.9.1: Debian change notes describe a major overhaul and larger config/rulefile changes.
- 2018: Debian Salsa project page records repository creation on May 13, 2018.
- Current: Debian manpages document hourly cron use, report levels, and /etc/logcheck configuration.
Related projects
- logtail: used by logcheck workflows to process recent log messages.
- logcheck-database: the companion rules package that supplies regular-expression filters.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:no-higher-risk-signals
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 1 platform targets.
- Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
local files
Configuration and credential file locations
These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.
Configuration files
Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.
- Unix
/etc/logcheck/logcheck.conf/etc/logcheck/*.d/*
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
logcheck | cli | global executable | |
logcheck-test | cli | global executable | |
logtail | cli | global executable | |
logtail2 | cli | global executable |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-07-08
manager version1.4.7
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://packages.debian.org/sid/logcheck
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://packages.debian.org/sid/logchecknone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:logcheck |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.4.7 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/logcheck |
| Homepage | https://packages.debian.org/sid/logcheck |
| Repository | https://salsa.debian.org/debian/logcheck |
| Upstream docs | https://packages.debian.org/sid/logcheck |
| License | GPL-2.0-only |
| Source archive | https://deb.debian.org/debian/pool/main/l/logcheck/logcheck_1.4.7.tar.xz |
| Build dependencies | gnu-sed |
| Bottle | available (on all) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | logcheck |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
Debian apt95%
logcheck 1.4.5+deb13u1
check the system log for unusual entries
sudo apt install logcheck- Section: admin
- Architecture: all
- 10 dependencies
- 3 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Logcheck
Debian apt95%
logcheck-database 1.4.5+deb13u1
database of system log rules for logcheck
sudo apt install logcheck-database- Section: admin
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: logcheck
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Logcheck
Debian apt95%
logtail 1.4.5+deb13u1
Identify new lines added to the end of log files
sudo apt install logtail- Section: admin
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: logcheck
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Logcheck
Nix95%
logcheck
nix profile install nixpkgs#logcheck- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Logcheck
Ubuntu apt95%
logcheck 1.4.3
check the system log for unusual entries
sudo apt install logcheck- Section: admin
- Architecture: all
- 8 dependencies
- 3 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Logcheck
Ubuntu apt95%
logcheck-database 1.4.3
database of system log rules for logcheck
sudo apt install logcheck-database- Section: admin
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: logcheck
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Logcheck
Ubuntu apt95%
logtail 1.4.3
Identify new lines added to the end of log files
sudo apt install logtail- Section: admin
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: logcheck
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Logcheck
apk95%
logcheck 1.4.7-r0
Bash scripts used to monitor system log files for anomalies
https://packages.debian.org/source/sid/logcheck
sudo apk add logcheck- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: logcheck
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Logcheck
apk95%
logcheck-doc 1.4.7-r0
Bash scripts used to monitor system log files for anomalies (documentation)
https://packages.debian.org/source/sid/logcheck
sudo apk add logcheck-doc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: logcheck
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Logcheck
apk92%
logtail 3.22-r3
Print new lines in log file since the last run (sf.net logtail-v3 ver)
https://logtail-v3.sourceforge.net/
sudo apk add logtail- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: logtail
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- installed executable or alias match
- Matched by: Logtail
zypper92%
logtail 0.2.4-21.7
Helper application to analyze logfiles
http://sourceforge.net/projects/logdigest
sudo zypper install logtail- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: System/Monitoring
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: logdigest
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- installed executable or alias match
- Matched by: Logtail
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- Nucleus package database
- av.db category and tag curation
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment