Enhance your Jenkins security posture by tracking user activities—such as job configuration changes, system restarts, and build triggers—using the Audit Trail plugin. This guide walks you through installation, configuration, testing, and advanced logging options.Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://notes.kodekloud.com/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
1. Install the Audit Trail Plugin
- From the Jenkins dashboard, go to Manage Jenkins → Manage Plugins.
- Select the Available tab and search for Audit Trail.
- Check the box next to Audit Trail and click Install without restart.
2. Configure the Audit Trail Plugin
- Navigate to Manage Jenkins → Configure System.
- Scroll down to the Audit Trail section.
- Under Logger, choose Log file (daily rotation).
-
In Log file pattern, enter:
Use
%g to rotate logs daily and prevent oversized files.- Keep other settings at their defaults and click Save.
3. Test Your Audit Trail Setup
3.1 Make a Job Configuration Change
- From the dashboard, select an existing job (for example, monitor-jenkins).
- Click Configure, tweak a build step or description, then click Apply → Save.
- Trigger a new build and wait for it to finish.
3.2 Inspect the Audit Logs
Ensure the Jenkins service account has write permissions to
/var/log/jenkins.3.3 Customize URL Patterns
- Return to Manage Jenkins → Configure System.
-
In URL Patterns to Log, add:
- Click Save, perform another job action, then verify:
4. Additional Logging Options
Beyond file-based logs, Audit Trail supports:| Logger Type | Use Case | Configuration Location |
|---|---|---|
| Syslog | Forward audit events to syslog | Manage Jenkins → Configure System → Audit Trail |
| Console | View events directly in Jenkins log | Manage Jenkins → Configure System → Audit Trail |
| Elasticsearch | Index and search logs externally | Manage Jenkins → Configure System → Audit Trail |
