OS Manuals

/usr/bin/ausearch

User space tools for kernel auditing

From audit 4.2.1-r4 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running ausearch --help (exit 0). permalink

usage: ausearch [options]
	-a,--event <Audit event id>	search based on audit event id
	--arch <CPU>			search based on the CPU architecture
	-c,--comm  <Comm name>		search based on command line name
	--checkpoint <checkpoint file>	search from last complete event
	--debug			Write malformed events that are skipped to stderr
	-e,--exit  <Exit code or errno>	search based on syscall exit code
	-escape <option>		escape output
	--eoe-timeout secs		End of Event timeout
	--extra-keys			add a final column with key information
	--extra-labels			add columns of information about subject and object labels
	--extra-obj2			add columns of information about a second object
	--extra-time			add columns of information about broken down time
	-f,--file  <File name>		search based on file name
	--format [raw|default|interpret|csv|text] results format options
	-ga,--gid-all <all Group id>	search based on All group ids
	-ge,--gid-effective <effective Group id>  search based on Effective
					group id
	-gi,--gid <Group Id>		search based on group id
	-h,--help			help
	-hn,--host <Host Name>		search based on remote host name
	-i,--interpret			Interpret results to be human readable
	-if,--input <Input File name>	use this file instead of current logs
	--input-logs			Use the logs even if stdin is a pipe
	--just-one			Emit just one event
	-k,--key  <key string>		search based on key field
	-l, --line-buffered		Flush output on every line
	-m,--message  <Message type>	search based on message type
	-n,--node  <Node name>		search based on machine's name
	-o,--object  <SE Linux Object context> search based on context of object
	-p,--pid  <Process id>		search based on process id
	-pp,--ppid <Parent Process id>	search based on parent process id
	-r,--raw			output is completely unformatted
	-sc,--syscall <SysCall name>	search based on syscall name or number
	-se,--context <SE Linux context> search based on either subject or
					 object
	--session <login session id>	search based on login session id
	-su,--subject <SE Linux context> search based on context of the Subject
	-sv,--success <Success Value>	search based on syscall or event
					success value
	-te,--end [end date] [end time]	ending date & time for search
	-ts,--start [start date] [start time]	starting date & time for search
	-tm,--terminal <TerMinal>	search based on terminal
	-ua,--uid-all <all User id>	search based on All user id's
	-ue,--uid-effective <effective User id>  search based on Effective
					user id
	-ui,--uid <User Id>		search based on user id
	-ul,--loginuid <login id>	search based on the User's Login id
	-uu,--uuid <guest UUID>		search for events related to the virtual
					machine with the given UUID.
	-v,--version			version
	-vm,--vm-name <guest name>	search for events related to the virtual
					machine with the name.
	-w,--word			string matches are whole word
	-x,--executable <executable name>  search based on executable name
Options (47)
OptionDescriptionSource
-a, --event AuditSearch for an event based on the given event ID.help + man
--arch CPUsearch based on the CPU architecturehelp
-c, --commSearch for an event based on the given comm name.help + man
--checkpoint checkpointsearch from last complete eventhelp
--debugWrite malformed events that are skipped to stderr.help + man
-e, --exitSearch for an event based on the given syscall exit code or errno.help + man
-escape optionescape outputhelp
--eoe-timeout secsEnd of Event timeouthelp
--extra-keysWhen the format mode is csv, this option will add a final column with key information if its exists for the event.help + man
--extra-labelsWhen the format mode is csv, this option will add columns of information about subject and object labels when they exist.help + man
--extra-obj2When the format mode is csv, this option will add columns of information about a second object when it exists.help + man
--extra-timeWhen the format mode is csv, this option will add columns of information about broken down time to make subsetting easier.help + man
-f, --fileSearch for an event based on the given filename.help + man
-ga, --gid-all allSearch for an event with either effective group ID or group ID matching the given group ID.help + man
-ge, --gid-effective effectiveSearch for an event with the given effective group ID or group name.help + man
-gi, --gid GroupSearch for an event with the given group ID or group name.help + man
-h, --helphelphelp + man
-hn, --host HostSearch for an event with the given host name.help + man
-i, --interpretInterpret results to be human readablehelp + man
-if, --input InputUse the given file or directory instead of the logs.help + man
--input-logsUse the log file location from auditd.conf as input for searching.help + man
--just-oneStop after emitting the first event that matches the search criteria.help + man
-k, --keySearch for an event based on the given key string.help + man
-l, --line-bufferedFlush output on every line.help + man
-m, --messageSearch for an event matching the given message type.help + man
-n, --nodeSearch for events originating from a specific machine.help + man
-o, --objectSearch for event with tcontext (object) matching the string.help + man
-p, --pidSearch for an event matching the given process ID.help + man
-pp, --ppid ParentSearch for an event matching the given parent process ID.help + man
-r, --rawOutput is completely unformatted.help + man
-sc, --syscall SysCallSearch for an event matching the given syscall.help + man
--session loginsearch based on login session idhelp
-sv, --success SuccessSearch for an event matching the given success value.help + man
-te, --end endending date & time for searchhelp
-ts, --start startstarting date & time for searchhelp
-tm, --terminal TerMinalSearch for an event matching the given terminal value.help + man
-ua, --uid-all allSearch for an event with either user ID, effective user ID, or login user ID (auid) matching the given user ID.help + man
-ue, --uid-effective effectiveSearch for an event with the given effective user ID.help + man
-ui, --uid UserSearch for an event with the given user ID.help + man
-ul, --loginuid loginSearch for an event with the given login user ID.help + man
-uu, --uuid guestsearch for events related to the virtual machine with the given UUID.help + man
-v, --versionPrint the version and exithelp + man
-vm, --vm-name guestsearch for events related to the virtual machine with the name.help + man
-w, --wordString based matches must match the whole word.help + man
-x, --executable executableSearch for an event matching the given executable name.help + man
-seSearch for events with either scontext/subject or tcontext/object matching the given string. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
-suSearch for event with scontext (subject) matching the string. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
Exit status (5) from the manual page
0if OK,
1if nothing found, or argument errors or minor file access/read errors,
10invalid checkpoint data found in checkpoint file,
11checkpoint processing error
12checkpoint event not found in matching log file
Examples (1) from the manual page, untested

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.