BPFtrace

Definition

BPFtrace is a high-level tracing language for Linux that leverages the extended Berkeley Packet Filter (eBPF) technology to provide powerful, efficient, and safe tracing capabilities. It allows developers and system administrators to write concise scripts to observe and analyze system behavior, performance, and security events in real-time. BPFtrace scripts can be used to monitor kernel and user-space applications, making it a versatile tool for debugging and performance tuning.

Secure Settings Example

# Example BPFtrace script to safely trace open system calls
# This script limits the output to avoid excessive data collection
bpftrace -e 'tracepoint:syscalls:sys_enter_openat {
  printf("File opened: %s\n", str(args->filename));
  if (comm == "sensitive_process") { exit(); }
}'

Insecure Settings Example

# Insecure BPFtrace script that may expose sensitive information
# This script does not filter processes and can lead to excessive logging
bpftrace -e 'tracepoint:syscalls:sys_enter_openat {
  printf("File opened: %s\n", str(args->filename));
}'