Why is search query returning values of binary data and how to return the actual data instead?

[randymw59]

I have a query that returns a few values of binary data instead of the actual data. How can I return the actual data instead of the blob reference?

[dturnbull_splun]

If you have binary data in your input file, but you want to see or search on decoded data you have some choices:

• Use a modular input to decode the data on the way in to Splunk
• Use a custom Python command to decode the data at search time

Both options require development, and depending on your usage it might be better to choose one or the other:

• The modular input is likely better if you primarily want to search for values in the decoded data
• The python input is simpler to implement and if it's just decoding some events at search time the extra processing on search is probably worth it

The Python SDK contains examples of both

[Ayn]

Way more details please - sample events, how you've setup log ingestion for these events, what search you're using, what you mean by blob reference, etc etc. We don't know your setup or your situation so you have to tell us if we're to stand a chance of helping you!

[randymw59]

This is just a simple query against Active Directory. When pulling information from AD for a list of IDs, a few descriptions are coming back as binary-blob instead of the actual description within AD.

[MuS]

something like this http://answers.splunk.com/answers/10346/splunk-is-adding-weird-strings-like-linebreaker-x00-x00-to-m... ?

[randymw59]

No, it literally has binary-blob (surrounded by < and >, but I can't enter that here) in the description column instead of an actual description.

[Tanefo]

please give, more details