Overview
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k9-tail is a lightweight daemon that monitors authentication log files and streams SSH events to the Key9 Identity service in real time.
k9-tail follows a system authentication log (typically /var/log/auth.log) and forwards SSH-related entries to Key9. This enables Key9 to:
Identify which SSH public keys are being used for authentication
Record successful and failed login attempts
Establish geolocation data from client IP addresses
Provide a full audit trail of SSH access across your fleet
Only sshd log entries are transmitted. Kernel audit log lines (containing audit[ or audit:) are explicitly excluded.
k9-tail uses a waldo file to record its current position in the authentication log. On restart, it resumes from where it left off, ensuring no events are duplicated or missed. If the log file is truncated (e.g., after log rotation), the waldo position is automatically reset to the beginning.
k9-tail is optional but strongly recommended. Key9 SSH will function without it, but you will lose visibility into key usage, login history, and geolocation data.
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