elasticsearch/docs/reference/eql/eql-search-api.asciidoc

[role="xpack"]
[testenv="basic"]

[[eql-search-api]]
=== EQL search API
++++
<titleabbrev>EQL search</titleabbrev>
++++

dev::[]

Returns search results for an <<eql,Event Query Language (EQL)>> query.

In {es}, EQL assumes each document in an index corresponds to an event.

////
[source,console]
----
PUT /my_index/_bulk?refresh
{"index":{"_index" : "my_index", "_id" : "1"}}
{ "@timestamp": "2020-12-06T11:04:05.000Z", "agent": { "id": "8a4f500d" }, "event": { "category": "process" }, "process": { "name": "cmd.exe", "path": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe" } }
{"index":{"_index" : "my_index", "_id" : "2"}}
{ "@timestamp": "2020-12-06T11:04:07.000Z", "agent": { "id": "8a4f500d" }, "event": { "category": "file" }, "file": { "accessed": "2020-12-07T11:07:08.000Z", "name": "cmd.exe", "path": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe", "type": "file", "size": 16384 }, "process": { "name": "cmd.exe", "path": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe" } }
{"index":{"_index" : "my_index", "_id" : "3"}}
{ "@timestamp": "2020-12-07T11:06:07.000Z", "agent": { "id": "8a4f500d" }, "event": { "category": "process" }, "process": { "name": "cmd.exe", "path": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe" } }
{"index":{"_index" : "my_index", "_id" : "4"}}
{ "@timestamp": "2020-12-07T11:07:08.000Z", "agent": { "id": "8a4f500d" }, "event": { "category": "file" }, "file": { "accessed": "2020-12-07T11:07:08.000Z", "name": "cmd.exe", "path": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe", "type": "file", "size": 16384 }, "process": { "name": "cmd.exe", "path": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe" } }
{"index":{"_index" : "my_index", "_id" : "5"}}
{ "@timestamp": "2020-12-07T11:07:09.000Z", "agent": { "id": "8a4f500d" }, "event": { "category": "process" }, "process": { "name": "regsvr32.exe", "path": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\regsvr32.exe" } }
----
// TESTSETUP
////

[source,console]
----
GET /my_index/_eql/search
{
  "query": """
    process where process.name = "regsvr32.exe"
  """
}
----

[[eql-search-api-request]]
==== {api-request-title}

`GET /<index>/_eql/search`

`POST /<index>/_eql/search`

[[eql-search-api-prereqs]]
==== {api-prereq-title}

See <<eql-requirements,EQL requirements>>.

[[eql-search-api-limitations]]
===== Limitations

See <<eql-limitations,EQL limitations>>.

[[eql-search-api-path-params]]
==== {api-path-parms-title}

`<index>`::
(Required, string)
Comma-separated list of index names or <<indices-aliases,index aliases>> used to
limit the request. Accepts wildcard expressions.
+
To search all indices, use `_all` or `*`.

[[eql-search-api-query-params]]
==== {api-query-parms-title}

include::{es-repo-dir}/rest-api/common-parms.asciidoc[tag=allow-no-indices]
+
Defaults to `false`.

include::{es-repo-dir}/rest-api/common-parms.asciidoc[tag=expand-wildcards]
+
Defaults to `open`.

include::{es-repo-dir}/rest-api/common-parms.asciidoc[tag=index-ignore-unavailable]

[[eql-search-api-request-body]]
==== {api-request-body-title}

`case_sensitive`::
(Optional, boolean)
If `true`, matching for the <<eql-search-api-request-query-param,EQL query>> is
case sensitive. Defaults to `false`.

`event_category_field`::
(Required*, string)
Field containing the event classification, such as `process`, `file`, or
`network`.
+
Defaults to `event.category`, as defined in the {ecs-ref}/ecs-event.html[Elastic
Common Schema (ECS)]. If an index does not contain the `event.category` field,
this value is required.

`filter`::
(Optional, <<query-dsl,query DSL object>>)
Query, written in query DSL, used to filter the events on which the EQL query
runs.

`implicit_join_key_field`::
(Optional, string)
Reserved for future use.

[[eql-search-api-request-query-param]]
`query`::
(Required, string)
<<eql-syntax,EQL>> query you wish to run.
+
IMPORTANT: This parameter supports a subset of EQL syntax. See
<<eql-unsupported-syntax>>.

`search_after`::
(Optional, string)
Reserved for future use.

`size`::
(Optional, integer or float)
For <<eql-basic-syntax,basic queries>>, the maximum number of matching events to
return.
+
For <<eql-sequences,sequence queries>>, the maximum number of matching sequences
to return.
+
Defaults to `50`. Values must be greater than `0`.

[[eql-search-api-timestamp-field]]
`timestamp_field`::
+
--
(Required*, string)
Field containing event timestamp.

Defaults to `@timestamp`, as defined in the
{ecs-ref}/ecs-event.html[Elastic Common Schema (ECS)]. If an index does not
contain the `@timestamp` field, this value is required.

Events in the API response are sorted by this field's value, converted to
milliseconds since the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix_time[Unix epoch], in
ascending order.
--

[role="child_attributes"]
[[eql-search-api-response-body]]
==== {api-response-body-title}

`took`::
+
--
(integer)
Milliseconds it took {es} to execute the request.

This value is calculated by measuring the time elapsed
between receipt of a request on the coordinating node
and the time at which the coordinating node is ready to send the response.

Took time includes:

* Communication time between the coordinating node and data nodes
* Time the request spends in the `search` <<modules-threadpool,thread pool>>,
  queued for execution
* Actual execution time

Took time does *not* include:

* Time needed to send the request to {es}
* Time needed to serialize the JSON response
* Time needed to send the response to a client
--

`timed_out`::
(boolean)
If `true`, the request timed out before completion.

`hits`::
(object)
Contains matching events and sequences. Also contains related metadata.
+
.Properties of `hits`
[%collapsible%open]
====

`total`::
(object)
Metadata about the number of matching events or sequences.
+
.Properties of `total`
[%collapsible%open]
=====

`value`::
(integer)
For <<eql-basic-syntax,basic queries>>, the total number of matching events.
+
For <<eql-sequences,sequence queries>>, the total number of matching sequences.

`relation`::
+
--
(string)
Indicates whether the number of events or sequences returned is accurate or a
lower bound.

Returned values are:

`eq`::: Accurate
`gte`::: Lower bound, including returned events or sequences
--
=====

`sequences`::
(array of objects)
Contains event sequences matching the query. Each object represents a
matching sequence. This parameter is only returned for EQL queries containing
a <<eql-sequences,sequence>>.
+
.Properties of `sequences` objects
[%collapsible%open]
=====
`join_keys`::
(array of strings)
Shared field values used to constrain matches in the sequence. These are defined
using the <<eql-sequences,`by` keyword>> in the EQL query syntax.

`events`::
(array of objects)
Contains events matching the query. Each object represents a
matching event.
+
.Properties of `events` objects
[%collapsible%open]
======
`_index`::
(string)
Name of the index containing the event.

`_id`::
(string)
(string)
Unique identifier for the event.
This ID is only unique within the index.

`_score`::
(float)
Positive 32-bit floating point number used to determine the relevance of the
 event. See <<relevance-scores>>.

`_source`::
(object)
Original JSON body passed for the event at index time.

`sort`::
(array)
Integer used as the sort value for the event.
+
By default, this is the event's <<eql-search-api-timestamp-field,timestamp
value>>, converted to milliseconds since the
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix_time[Unix epoch].
======
=====

[[eql-search-api-response-events]]
`events`::
(array of objects)
Contains events matching the query. Each object represents a
matching event.
+
.Properties of `events` objects
[%collapsible%open]
=====
`_index`::
(string)
Name of the index containing the event.

`_id`::
(string)
(string)
Unique identifier for the event.
This ID is only unique within the index.

`_score`::
(float)
Positive 32-bit floating point number used to determine the relevance of the
 event. See <<relevance-scores>>.

`_source`::
(object)
Original JSON body passed for the event at index time.

`sort`::
(array)
Integer used as the sort value for the event.
+
By default, this is the event's <<eql-search-api-timestamp-field,timestamp
value>>, converted to milliseconds since the
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix_time[Unix epoch].
=====
====

[[eql-search-api-example]]
==== {api-examples-title}

[[eql-search-api-basic-query-ex]]
===== Basic query example

The following EQL search request searches for events with an `event.category` of
`file` that meet the following conditions:

* A `file.name` of `cmd.exe`
* An `agent.id` other than `my_user`

[source,console]
----
GET /my_index/_eql/search
{
  "query": """
    file where (file.name == "cmd.exe" and agent.id != "my_user")
  """
}
----

The API returns the following response. Matching events in the `hits.events`
property are sorted by <<eql-search-api-timestamp-field,timestamp>>, converted
to milliseconds since the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix_time[Unix epoch],
in ascending order.

[source,console-result]
----
{
  "took": 6,
  "timed_out": false,
  "hits": {
    "total": {
      "value": 2,
      "relation": "eq"
    },
    "events": [
      {
        "_index": "my_index",
        "_id": "2",
        "_score": null,
        "_source": {
          "@timestamp": "2020-12-06T11:04:07.000Z",
          "agent": {
            "id": "8a4f500d"
          },
          "event": {
            "category": "file"
          },
          "file": {
            "accessed": "2020-12-07T11:07:08.000Z",
            "name": "cmd.exe",
            "path": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe",
            "type": "file",
            "size": 16384
          },
          "process": {
            "name": "cmd.exe",
            "path": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe"
          }
        },
        "sort": [
          1607252647000
        ]
      },
      {
        "_index": "my_index",
        "_id": "4",
        "_score": null,
        "_source": {
          "@timestamp": "2020-12-07T11:07:08.000Z",
          "agent": {
            "id": "8a4f500d"
          },
          "event": {
            "category": "file"
          },
          "file": {
            "accessed": "2020-12-07T11:07:08.000Z",
            "name": "cmd.exe",
            "path": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe",
            "type": "file",
            "size": 16384
          },
          "process": {
            "name": "cmd.exe",
            "path": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe"
          }
        },
        "sort": [
          1607339228000
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}
----
// TESTRESPONSE[s/"took": 6/"took": $body.took/]

[[eql-search-api-sequence-ex]]
===== Sequence query example

The following EQL search request matches a <<eql-sequences,sequence>> of events
that:

. Start with an event with:
+
--
* An `event.category` of `file`
* A `file.name` of `cmd.exe`
* An `agent.id` other than `my_user`
--
. Followed by an event with:
+
--
* An `event.category` of `process`
* A `process.path` that contains the substring `regsvr32`
--

These events must also share the same `agent.id` value.

[source,console]
----
GET /my_index/_eql/search
{
  "query": """
    sequence by agent.id
      [ file where file.name == "cmd.exe" and agent.id != "my_user" ]
      [ process where stringContains(process.path, "regsvr32") ]
  """
}
----

The API returns the following response. The `hits.sequences.join_keys` property
contains the shared `agent.id` value for each matching event. Matching events in
the `hits.sequences.events` property are sorted by
<<eql-search-api-timestamp-field,timestamp>>, converted to milliseconds since
the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix_time[Unix epoch], in ascending order.

[source,console-result]
----
{
  "took": 6,
  "timed_out": false,
  "hits": {
    "total": {
      "value": 1,
      "relation": "eq"
    },
    "sequences": [
      {
        "join_keys": [
          "8a4f500d"
        ],
        "events": [
          {
            "_index": "my_index",
            "_id": "4",
            "_score": null,
            "_source": {
              "@timestamp": "2020-12-07T11:07:08.000Z",
              "agent": {
                "id": "8a4f500d"
              },
              "event": {
                "category": "file"
              },
              "file": {
                "accessed": "2020-12-07T11:07:08.000Z",
                "name": "cmd.exe",
                "path": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe",
                "type": "file",
                "size": 16384
              },
              "process": {
                "name": "cmd.exe",
                "path": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe"
              }
            },
            "fields": {
              "@timestamp": [
                "1607339228000"
              ]
            },
            "sort": [
              1607339228000
            ]
          },
          {
            "_index": "my_index",
            "_id": "5",
            "_score": null,
            "_source": {
              "@timestamp": "2020-12-07T11:07:09.000Z",
              "agent": {
                "id": "8a4f500d"
              },
              "event": {
                "category": "process"
              },
              "process": {
                "name": "regsvr32.exe",
                "path": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\regsvr32.exe"
              }
            },
            "fields": {
              "@timestamp": [
                "1607339229000"
              ]
            },
            "sort": [
              1607339229000
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}
----
// TESTRESPONSE[s/"took": 6/"took": $body.took/]