drupal-logging-failures.mdc

---
description: Detect and prevent security logging and monitoring failures in Drupal as defined in OWASP Top 10:2021-A09
globs: *.php, *.install, *.module, *.inc, *.theme, *.yml
alwaysApply: false
---
# Drupal Security Logging and Monitoring Failures Standards (OWASP A09:2021)

This rule enforces security best practices to prevent logging and monitoring failures in Drupal applications, as defined in OWASP Top 10:2021-A09.

## Rule Details

- **Name:** drupal_logging_failures

- **Description:** Detect and prevent security logging and monitoring failures in Drupal as defined in OWASP Top 10:2021-A09

## Filters
- file extension pattern: `\\.(php|inc|module|install|theme|yml)$`
- file path pattern: `.*`

## Enforcement Checks
- Conditions:
  - pattern `(delete|update|create|execute|grant|revoke|config|schema).*function[^}]*\\{(?![^}]*(log|watchdog|logger))` – Critical operations should include logging. Implement proper logging for security-relevant actions.
    - Pattern 1: Missing critical event logging
  - pattern `@include|@require|@eval|error_reporting\\(0\\)|ini_set\\(['\"](mdc:display_errors|log_errors)['\"],\\s*['\"]0['\"]\\)` – Avoid suppressing errors and warnings. Implement proper error handling and logging instead.
    - Pattern 2: Suppressed error logging
  - pattern `catch\\s*\\([^{]*\\)\\s*\\{(?![^}]*log|[^}]*watchdog|[^}]*logger)` – Exceptions should be properly logged, especially in security-critical sections.
    - Pattern 3: Improper exception handling without logging
  - pattern `dblog\\.settings\\.yml|syslog\\.settings\\.yml|logging\\.settings\\.yml` – Ensure logging is properly configured and not disabled. Verify log verbosity and retention policies.
    - Pattern 4: Disabled watchdog
  - pattern `(login|authenticate|logout|password).*function[^}]*\\{(?![^}]*(log|watchdog|logger))` – Authentication events should always be logged for security monitoring and auditing.
    - Pattern 5: Missing authentication event logging
  - pattern `AccessResult::(allowed|forbidden|neutral)\\([^)]*\\)(?![^;]*(log|watchdog|logger))` – Consider logging significant access control decisions, especially denials, for security monitoring.
    - Pattern 6: Failure to log access control decisions
  - pattern `(file_save|file_delete|file_move|file_copy)[^;]*;(?![^;]*(log|watchdog|logger))` – File operations should be logged, especially for security-sensitive files.
    - Pattern 7: Missing logging in file operations
  - pattern `(\\->log|watchdog)\\([^,)]*,[^,)]*\\)` – Log messages should include sufficient context and detail for effective security monitoring.
    - Pattern 8: Insufficient detail in log messages
  - pattern `\\$config->set\\([^;]*;(?![^;]*(log|watchdog|logger))` – Configuration changes should be logged to maintain an audit trail and detect unauthorized changes.
    - Pattern 9: Failure to log configuration changes
  - pattern `class\\s+[a-zA-Z0-9_]+Resource.+\\{[^}]*function\\s+[a-zA-Z0-9_]+\\([^{]*\\)\\s*\\{(?![^}]*(log|watchdog|logger))` – API endpoint access should be logged for security monitoring, especially for sensitive operations.
    - Pattern 10: Missing logs for API access

## Suggestions
- Guidance:
**Drupal Security Logging & Monitoring Best Practices:**

1. **Comprehensive Logging Implementation:**
   - Use Drupal's Logger Factory service: `\Drupal::logger('module_name')`
   - Implement proper log levels: emergency, alert, critical, error, warning, notice, info, debug
   - Include context in log messages with relevant identifiers and information
   - Log security-relevant events consistently across the application
   - Structure log messages to facilitate automated analysis

2. **Critical Events to Log:**
   - Authentication events (login attempts, failures, logouts)
   - Access control decisions (particularly denials)
   - All administrative actions
   - Data modification operations on sensitive information
   - Configuration and settings changes
   - File operations (uploads, downloads of sensitive content)
   - API access and usage

3. **Logging Configuration:**
   - Configure appropriate log retention periods based on security requirements
   - Implement log rotation to maintain performance
   - Consider using syslog for centralized logging
   - Protect log files from unauthorized access and modification
   - Configure appropriate verbosity for different environments

4. **Monitoring Implementation:**
   - Define security-relevant log patterns to monitor
   - Implement log aggregation and analysis
   - Set up alerts for suspicious activity patterns
   - Establish response procedures for security events
   - Consider integration with SIEM solutions

5. **Error Handling:**
   - Log exceptions with appropriate error levels
   - Include stack traces in development but not production
   - Implement custom error handlers that ensure proper logging
   - Avoid suppressing errors that might indicate security issues
   - Monitor for patterns in error logs that could indicate attacks

## Validation Checks
- Conditions:
  - pattern `\\\\Drupal::logger\\([^)]+\\)->\\w+\\(|\\$this->logger->\\w+\\(` – Using Drupal's logger service correctly.
    - Check 1: Proper logger usage
  - pattern `->\\w+\\([^,]+,\\s*[^,]+,\\s*\\[` – Including context information in log messages.
    - Check 2: Context in log messages
  - pattern `dblog\\.settings|syslog\\.settings|logging\\.yml` – Configuring logging appropriately.
    - Check 3: Logging configuration
  - pattern `catch[^{]*\\{[^}]*logger|catch[^{]*\\{[^}]*watchdog|catch[^{]*\\{[^}]*log` – Properly logging exceptions.
    - Check 4: Exception logging

## Metadata
- Priority: high
- Version: 1.1
- Tags: security, drupal, logging, monitoring, owasp, language:php, framework:drupal, category:security, subcategory:logging, standard:owasp-top10, risk:a09-logging-monitoring
## References
- https://owasp.org/Top10/A09_2021-Security_Logging_and_Monitoring_Failures/
- https://www.drupal.org/docs/8/api/logging-api/overview
- https://www.drupal.org/docs/develop/security-in-drupal/writing-secure-code-for-drupal
- https://www.drupal.org/docs/8/modules/syslog