Can someone clarify the intended use for the "app" field under the Authentication data model?

[wennebo1]

We are trying to incorporate many different sources into our Splunk instance under the CIM. What is supposed to go in the app field for the Authentication data model? Is this intended to be the application the user is logging into, or the back-end application the user is using to log in (ldap, shibboleth, etc.)?

[zonistj · Accepted solution]

That's intended to be the application involved in the event. For example, a user attempting to login to an SSH service would be an example of an authentication event, and the "app" would be "SSH" or "SSHD" or something along those lines.

Here's the documentation on the authentication data model:

https://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/CIM/4.13.0/User/Authentication

[zonistj]

I wanted to add: You generally will want "app" to be the application that the user is logging into.

You can use the authentication mechanism (ldap, etc...) in the metadata fields like source or sourcetype.

[wennebo1]

Your additional comment was what really helped me to understand. I was still a little unsure, as SSH could be the "app" authenticating into an a WordPress server, for example.

Thank you!