Windows Event Log (EVT): Lua parsing library

EVT files are Windows Event Log files written by older Windows operating systems (2000, XP, 2003). They are used as binary log files by several major Windows subsystems and applications. Typically, several of them can be found in %WINDIR%\system32\config directory:

  • Application = AppEvent.evt
  • System = SysEvent.evt
  • Security = SecEvent.evt

Alternatively, one can export any system event log as distinct .evt file using relevant option in Event Viewer application.

A Windows application can submit an entry into these logs using ReportEventA function of Windows API.

Internally, EVT files consist of a fixed-size header and event records. There are several usage scenarios (non-wrapping vs wrapping log files) which result in slightly different organization of records.

File extension

evt

KS implementation details

License: CC0-1.0
Minimal Kaitai Struct required: 0.9

References

This page hosts a formal specification of Windows Event Log (EVT) using Kaitai Struct. This specification can be automatically translated into a variety of programming languages to get a parsing library.

Lua source code to parse Windows Event Log (EVT)

windows_evt_log.lua

-- This is a generated file! Please edit source .ksy file and use kaitai-struct-compiler to rebuild
--
-- This file is compatible with Lua 5.3

local class = require("class")
require("kaitaistruct")
local stringstream = require("string_stream")
local enum = require("enum")

-- 
-- EVT files are Windows Event Log files written by older Windows
-- operating systems (2000, XP, 2003). They are used as binary log
-- files by several major Windows subsystems and
-- applications. Typically, several of them can be found in
-- `%WINDIR%\system32\config` directory:
-- 
-- * Application = `AppEvent.evt`
-- * System = `SysEvent.evt`
-- * Security = `SecEvent.evt`
-- 
-- Alternatively, one can export any system event log as distinct .evt
-- file using relevant option in Event Viewer application.
-- 
-- A Windows application can submit an entry into these logs using
-- [ReportEventA](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/winbase/nf-winbase-reporteventa)
-- function of Windows API.
-- 
-- Internally, EVT files consist of a fixed-size header and event
-- records. There are several usage scenarios (non-wrapping vs wrapping
-- log files) which result in slightly different organization of
-- records.
-- See also: Source (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/eventlog/event-log-file-format)
WindowsEvtLog = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function WindowsEvtLog:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function WindowsEvtLog:_read()
  self.header = WindowsEvtLog.Header(self._io, self, self._root)
  self.records = {}
  local i = 0
  while not self._io:is_eof() do
    self.records[i + 1] = WindowsEvtLog.Record(self._io, self, self._root)
    i = i + 1
  end
end


-- 
-- See also: Source (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/desktop/legacy/bb309024(v=vs.85))
WindowsEvtLog.Header = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function WindowsEvtLog.Header:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function WindowsEvtLog.Header:_read()
  self.len_header = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.magic = self._io:read_bytes(4)
  if not(self.magic == "\076\102\076\101") then
    error("not equal, expected " ..  "\076\102\076\101" .. ", but got " .. self.magic)
  end
  self.version_major = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.version_minor = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.ofs_start = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.ofs_end = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.cur_rec_idx = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.oldest_rec_idx = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.len_file_max = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.flags = WindowsEvtLog.Header.Flags(self._io, self, self._root)
  self.retention = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.len_header_2 = self._io:read_u4le()
end

-- 
-- Size of the header structure, must be 0x30.
-- 
-- Offset of oldest record kept in this log file.
-- 
-- Offset of EOF log record, which is a placeholder for new record.
-- 
-- Index of current record, where a new submission would be
-- written to (normally there should to EOF log record there).
-- 
-- Index of oldest record in the log file.
-- 
-- Total maximum size of the log file.
-- 
-- Size of the header structure repeated again, and again it must be 0x30.

WindowsEvtLog.Header.Flags = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function WindowsEvtLog.Header.Flags:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function WindowsEvtLog.Header.Flags:_read()
  self.reserved = self._io:read_bits_int_be(28)
  self.archive = self._io:read_bits_int_be(1) ~= 0
  self.log_full = self._io:read_bits_int_be(1) ~= 0
  self.wrap = self._io:read_bits_int_be(1) ~= 0
  self.dirty = self._io:read_bits_int_be(1) ~= 0
end

-- 
-- True if archive attribute has been set for this log file.
-- 
-- True if last write operation failed due to log being full.
-- 
-- True if wrapping of record has occured.
-- 
-- True if write operation was in progress, but log file
-- wasn't properly closed.

-- 
-- See also: Source (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/winnt/ns-winnt-eventlogrecord)
WindowsEvtLog.Record = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function WindowsEvtLog.Record:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function WindowsEvtLog.Record:_read()
  self.len_record = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.type = self._io:read_u4le()
  local _on = self.type
  if _on == 1699505740 then
    self._raw_body = self._io:read_bytes((self.len_record - 12))
    local _io = KaitaiStream(stringstream(self._raw_body))
    self.body = WindowsEvtLog.RecordBody(_io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == 286331153 then
    self._raw_body = self._io:read_bytes((self.len_record - 12))
    local _io = KaitaiStream(stringstream(self._raw_body))
    self.body = WindowsEvtLog.CursorRecordBody(_io, self, self._root)
  else
    self.body = self._io:read_bytes((self.len_record - 12))
  end
  self.len_record2 = self._io:read_u4le()
end

-- 
-- Size of whole record, including all headers, footers and data.
-- 
-- Type of record. Normal log records specify "LfLe"
-- (0x654c664c) in this field, cursor records use 0x11111111.
-- 
-- Record body interpretation depends on type of record. Body
-- size is specified in a way that it won't include a 8-byte
-- "header" (`len_record` + `type`) and a "footer"
-- (`len_record2`).
-- 
-- Size of whole record again.

-- 
-- See also: Source (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/winnt/ns-winnt-eventlogrecord)
WindowsEvtLog.RecordBody = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

WindowsEvtLog.RecordBody.EventTypes = enum.Enum {
  error = 1,
  audit_failure = 2,
  audit_success = 3,
  info = 4,
  warning = 5,
}

function WindowsEvtLog.RecordBody:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function WindowsEvtLog.RecordBody:_read()
  self.idx = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.time_generated = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.time_written = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.event_id = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.event_type = WindowsEvtLog.RecordBody.EventTypes(self._io:read_u2le())
  self.num_strings = self._io:read_u2le()
  self.event_category = self._io:read_u2le()
  self.reserved = self._io:read_bytes(6)
  self.ofs_strings = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.len_user_sid = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.ofs_user_sid = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.len_data = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.ofs_data = self._io:read_u4le()
end

WindowsEvtLog.RecordBody.property.user_sid = {}
function WindowsEvtLog.RecordBody.property.user_sid:get()
  if self._m_user_sid ~= nil then
    return self._m_user_sid
  end

  local _pos = self._io:pos()
  self._io:seek((self.ofs_user_sid - 8))
  self._m_user_sid = self._io:read_bytes(self.len_user_sid)
  self._io:seek(_pos)
  return self._m_user_sid
end

WindowsEvtLog.RecordBody.property.data = {}
function WindowsEvtLog.RecordBody.property.data:get()
  if self._m_data ~= nil then
    return self._m_data
  end

  local _pos = self._io:pos()
  self._io:seek((self.ofs_data - 8))
  self._m_data = self._io:read_bytes(self.len_data)
  self._io:seek(_pos)
  return self._m_data
end

-- 
-- Index of record in the file.
-- 
-- Time when this record was generated, POSIX timestamp format.
-- 
-- Time when thsi record was written into the log file, POSIX timestamp format.
-- 
-- Identifier of an event, meaning is specific to particular
-- source of events / event type.
-- 
-- Type of event.
-- See also: Source (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/eventlog/event-types)
-- 
-- Number of strings present in the log.
-- 
-- See also: Source (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/eventlog/event-categories)
-- 
-- Offset of strings present in the log.

-- 
-- See also: Source (https://forensics.wiki/windows_event_log_(evt)/#cursor-record)
WindowsEvtLog.CursorRecordBody = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function WindowsEvtLog.CursorRecordBody:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function WindowsEvtLog.CursorRecordBody:_read()
  self.magic = self._io:read_bytes(12)
  if not(self.magic == "\034\034\034\034\051\051\051\051\068\068\068\068") then
    error("not equal, expected " ..  "\034\034\034\034\051\051\051\051\068\068\068\068" .. ", but got " .. self.magic)
  end
  self.ofs_first_record = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.ofs_next_record = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.idx_next_record = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.idx_first_record = self._io:read_u4le()
end