# SOF-ELK Configuration Files for Forensic Log Analysis > SOF-ELK is a configuration repository for a prebuilt virtual appliance that combines Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana, and Filebeat for forensic investigators and security operations personnel. It is intended for the distributed SOF-ELK VM, not as a standalone Elastic Stack configuration bundle. **philhagen/sof-elk** — Configuration files for the SOF-ELK VM - Repository: https://github.com/philhagen/sof-elk - Stars: 1,761 · Forks: 304 - Language: Ruby - License: GPL-3.0 - Published: 2026-10-16 · Updated: 2026-10-16 · Language: en - Canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/philhagen-sof-elk ## What the SOF-ELK repository provides SOF-ELK addresses the setup burden associated with assembling a working Elastic Stack for computer forensic investigation and information security operations. The README describes a customized platform built from Elasticsearch for storage and search, Logstash for ingest and enrichment, Kibana for dashboards, and Filebeat for shipping logs. The intended users are forensic investigators, analysts, and security operations personnel who need to collect and examine multiple log sources and NetFlow data. The repository itself does not contain a complete virtual machine image. It contains the configuration and support files used by the SOF-ELK VM appliance. That distinction matters when deciding whether to use the project. A user who wants a packaged system is directed to the separate SOF-ELK VM documentation at `https://for572.com/sof-elk-readme`. A user who only installs Elasticsearch, Logstash, and Kibana from other sources will not receive the complete integration described by this repository. SOF-ELK is associated with SANS FOR572, Advanced Network Forensics and Analysis, but the README states that it can be used by the wider community without a course requirement. The repository therefore serves both course environments and independent forensic or security operations users. Its dashboards and parsing rules are oriented toward investigative workflows rather than a generic application-monitoring setup. ## How the VM data path is organized The README gives a component-level architecture. Filebeat ships source logs, Logstash parses and enriches them, Elasticsearch stores and searches the resulting data, and Kibana presents the dashboards. The repository's `/configfiles/` directory contains parsing, tagging, and formatting logic for individual file types, together with output configuration. Custom parsing patterns live in `/grok-patterns/`, so the data transformation rules are separated from the infrastructure configuration. The `/kibana/` directory contains dashboard definitions and related files. These correspond to the parsing completed by the Logstash files, which means the dashboards expect compatible field names and data shapes. The repository warns that they will probably require adjustments before working on an unrelated Logstash instance. That is a real coupling between ingestion and visualization, not a cosmetic packaging difference. Other directories support the appliance rather than a generic application. `/lib/` contains Elasticsearch mappings, YAML lookup files, and images. `/supporting-scripts/` contains scripts and supporting files needed for the VM, and scripts intended for user functionality are symlinked into the `elk_user` `$PATH`. This arrangement indicates that deployment depends on paths, mappings, lookup files, scripts, and service-level configuration working together. ## Branch selection and upgrade boundaries The README assigns different maintenance expectations to each branch. `main` is described as suitable for widespread use, but it should not be used in the FOR572 classroom itself because classroom labs are version-locked. The `public/*` branches are tied to public VM releases and provide version-locked content after deployment. A `class/*` branch can be created for a course distribution and named for the corresponding VM version, such as `class/v20170629`. The `develop` branch is for code that should be functional but may break. The README explicitly says it is not suitable for “real world” use. Other branches may be used for major version updates and are merged into `main` when deployed for mainstream use. The last push was on 2026-09-15, so the repository is not archived and its recent activity does not indicate abandonment. However, there are no GitHub releases listed, and the README says documentation is always a work in progress. Version selection is therefore part of using the project, not an afterthought. The VM image and repository branch need to correspond with the appliance distribution being upgraded. ## Installing the configuration files and making a first use The README does not provide a standalone installation command for this repository. It directs users to the separate SOF-ELK readme for the pre-packaged VM and explicitly recommends these files only for the SOF-ELK VM distribution at this time. It also states that a great deal of system-level configuration and integration is required outside that VM, with no support provided for such use. For a first real use, the documented path is therefore to obtain the SOF-ELK VM through the linked VM documentation, start with the appropriate appliance release, and use the files shipped with that distribution. After the VM is available, the README identifies a dashboard-loading operation for the repository's Kibana files. It says to load them through the following script: ```bash /supporting-scripts/load_all_dashboards.sh ``` The README says this loads the dashboards into the Kibana interface. It does not document prerequisites for the script, service startup order, credentials, network settings, or a rollback procedure, so those details cannot be supplied as confirmed commands. The reader should verify that the script is present in the acquired VM and that its referenced Kibana files match the running appliance. ## Dashboard assumptions and configuration coupling The dashboard directory is not a generic collection of portable Kibana objects. The README states that the files correspond with Logstash parsing and will probably need tweaking to work on another Logstash instance. That limitation affects any migration, partial deployment, or attempt to use the repository as a library of standalone filters. The same dependency appears in the mapping and lookup layout. Elasticsearch mappings under `/lib/` define how indexed fields are represented, while YAML lookup files support enrichment or formatting. Changing a Logstash field without updating the mappings, or loading a dashboard without the expected fields, can produce missing or incorrectly interpreted visualizations. The README does not claim compatibility across arbitrary Elastic Stack versions, and it does not publish a compatibility matrix. The practical adoption boundary is consequently narrow. This content is most appropriate when the system-level services, file paths, mappings, parsing rules, and dashboards are all delivered as one appliance configuration. Users who need to combine SOF-ELK filters with an existing pipeline should treat the repository as a source to inspect and adapt, not as a drop-in module. ## Unsupported files and operational limitations The repository keeps experimental or unfinished material in `/configfiles-UNSUPPORTED/`. The README describes these files as not ready for operational use, in testing, or otherwise staged or stashed. Selecting content from that directory would mean accepting a configuration the project itself does not present as ready for operations. There is also a clear failure mode outside the intended environment. The configuration depends on the SOF-ELK VM, system-level integration, support scripts, and a corresponding Kibana setup. Applying only selected files to a plain Elastic Stack installation may leave missing dependencies unresolved. The project does not provide support for that use, according to the README. For teams evaluating adoption, these are concrete reasons to inspect the deployment context before copying files. The presence of an open repository and recent development does not make the unsupported directory production-ready, and the broad Elastic Stack component names do not make the configuration portable. The project is wrong for a lightweight single-node experiment where only a few custom filters are needed. ## Comparison with assembling Elastic Stack components directly The closest alternative is to assemble Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana, and Filebeat directly and write the parsing, mappings, dashboards, and supporting automation for the target environment. That approach takes more setup work because each integration decision belongs to the operator, but it gives direct control over field names, service deployment, retention, network collection, and dashboard compatibility. SOF-ELK takes the opposite approach. It packages configuration around a prebuilt VM so that users can avoid the long setup process described in the README. Its value comes from the relationship between the custom filters, Grok patterns, Elasticsearch mappings, lookup files, Kibana dashboards, and VM support scripts. A direct Elastic Stack deployment can reproduce some individual components, but it does not automatically inherit the appliance's system-level integration. This is a difference in operating model, not a claim that SOF-ELK has more features than every custom pipeline. Existing environments may already have compatible collectors, indexes, dashboards, and change-control processes. Such users may prefer to port the relevant parsing logic into their own configuration rather than adopt an appliance-specific repository. ## Licensing, support, and repository scope The repository is identified as GPL-3.0. The README also states that content is provided “as is” without an express or implied warranty for accuracy or accessibility. It says bugs and feature requests should be filed through the GitHub issue tracker and points contributors to `PULLREQUESTS.md` before development work. The repository content is copyrighted by its respective contributors, while the SOF-ELK name and logo are described as trademark or licensed property of Lewes Technology Consulting, LLC. The GPL-3.0 designation and trademark notice should be reviewed when redistributing or incorporating repository content, especially outside the supplied VM. This is a licensing boundary, not legal advice. More immediately for adoption, the repository's support statement is narrow: support applies to use within the SOF-ELK VM distribution, not to running these files on an unrelated system. The repository has no GitHub releases listed, so operators should not assume that a release page documents appliance versions or upgrade notes. The branch documentation, VM documentation, and issue tracker are the relevant references identified by the README. ## Conclusion Adopt this repository when you are installing or maintaining the distributed SOF-ELK VM and need its matching parsing rules, mappings, dashboards, and support scripts. Do not treat it as a standalone Logstash, Kibana, or Elasticsearch deployment. The first checks are the VM image version, the selected branch, and the system-level integration described in the SOF-ELK documentation; outside that boundary, support is explicitly unavailable. ## FAQ ### What is the philhagen/sof-elk repository used for? It contains configuration and support files for the SOF-ELK VM appliance, including Logstash parsing logic, Grok patterns, Elasticsearch mappings, Kibana dashboards, and supporting scripts. ### Can I use the SOF-ELK configuration files with a normal Elastic Stack installation? The README recommends using these files only in the SOF-ELK VM distribution. It says substantial system-level configuration and integration are required outside the VM and that support is not provided for that use. ### Which SOF-ELK branch should I use? The README describes `main` as suitable for widespread use but not for the version-locked FOR572 classroom. `public/*` branches follow public VM releases, `class/*` branches are course-specific, and `develop` may contain broken functionality and is not intended for real-world use. ## Sources - [Issues](https://github.com/philhagen/sof-elk/issues) - [License: GPL-3.0](https://github.com/philhagen/sof-elk/blob/main/LICENSE) - [philhagen/sof-elk on GitHub](https://github.com/philhagen/sof-elk) - [README](https://github.com/philhagen/sof-elk/blob/main/README.md) --- Hysen Labs editorial analysis, written from the project's own repository and release notes. Cite the canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/philhagen-sof-elk