In the vast ocean of website security logs, finding a particular piece of information often seems like searching for a proverbial needle in a haystack. Whether you’re tracking down a specific security threat, auditing access paths, or simply ensuring everything’s working properly, the sheer volume of log entries can be overwhelming. It’s like trying to find your way through a maze blindfolded. You know what you need is right there, but how do you get to it quickly and efficiently?

Find the exact insight you need, quickly 

The struggle with firewall logs isn’t just about volume — it’s about specificity. Perhaps you’re looking for all interactions with a particular path or want to see if there was a certain type of request method used in a potential attack. Maybe it’s about honing in on suspect user agents. It’s like knowing you have a puzzle piece somewhere in a pile but having no idea which piece you’re looking for because the pile is just too big.

And the standard one-size-fits-all filtering? It often falls short, leaving you feeling stuck and frustrated, wading through logs, trying to spot that elusive detail that could be the key to your website’s security posture.

Slice and dice logs on useful parameters

Here’s where MalCare changes the game with its latest enhancement in Firewall Logs. Instead of wading through the data deluge with a one-size-fits-all sieve, what if you could use a set of precision tools designed to make your search not just easier, but more effective?

To answer that question, we are introducing 3 new filters to our Firewall Logs:

Now that you know what the new filters are, let’s look at how they benefit you.

Use operators to cut the data down to size

With the new Path and User Agent filters, say goodbye to the frustration of near misses. Now you can get exact matches with the Equal option, zeroing in on the specific path or user agent you’re concerned about. Need a broader search? The Contains option has you covered, offering a wider net to capture any related entries. It’s like having both a scalpel and a net at your disposal.

Filter requests by method too

The addition of the Method filter takes this precision a step further. Filtering logs by request methods like GET, POST, or PUT can be the key to uncovering how an attacker is attempting to breach your defenses. It’s technical, yes, but critically important for those in-depth analyses that really get to the heart of your website’s security posture.

Filters that adapt to your site data

Beyond the specifics of each filter, what really sets MalCare’s new features apart is how they adapt to your actual data environment. The filters are responsive to the columns present in your Firewall Logs, making this tool not just powerful, but smart. So when you apply filters to an existing view of your logs, they adapt to that view and present data according to your needs.

How to use the new filters

Ready to dive in? Here’s how you can start using these powerful new filters to streamline your log analysis:

1. Head over to your site’s MalCare dashboard and scroll to the Security and Firewall tab.

2. Select Review Security to access detailed security insights for your site.
3. Scroll down to the Ozone Layer section and click on View All in the Firewall (Attack Protection) area.

4. Hit Filter Logs, and you’re ready to apply the new filters.