BytesbySumangal
Building an eBPF Gadget Inspector: A Deep Dive into Process Monitoring

Building an eBPF Gadget Inspector: A Deep Dive into Process Monitoring

Learn how to build an eBPF-based Gadget Inspector using Go, eBPF, and Cilium’s eBPF library to monitor process execution in Linux.

Sumangal Chhetri's photo
Sumangal Chhetri
·

3 min read

Building an eBPF Gadget Inspector: A Deep Dive into Process Monitoring

Introduction

eBPF (Extended Berkeley Packet Filter) is a powerful Linux technology that allows programs to run in the kernel safely and efficiently. In this article, we will explore how to build an eBPF Gadget Inspector to monitor process execution events using eBPF, Go, and the Cilium eBPF Go library.

This tool will allow you to inspect eBPF ELF files, load programs into the kernel, and analyze their behavior. If you're interested in Linux observability, system monitoring, or security, this project is a great way to get hands-on experience with eBPF.

Prerequisites

Before getting started, ensure you have the following installed:

1. Go (version 1.16 or higher)

Download and install from: Go Downloads

2. Clang with BPF target support

Install Clang and LLVM using:

sudo apt-get install clang llvm

3. Linux Headers

Install kernel headers:

sudo apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r)

4. Cilium eBPF Go Library

Install the Cilium eBPF Go library:

go get github.com/cilium/ebpf

Setting Up the Project

1. Clone the Repository

Clone the GitHub repository and navigate into the project directory:

git clone https://github.com/SumangalChhetri/ebpf-gadget-inspector.git
cd ebpf-gadget-inspector

2. Build the eBPF Program

Compile the C eBPF program into BPF bytecode:

clang -O2 -g -target bpf -c process_monitor.c -o process_monitor.elf

3. Build the Go Binary

Compile the Gadget Inspector tool:

go build -o gadget-inspector main.go

Alternatively, use the Makefile:

make

4. Install Go Dependencies

Ensure all dependencies are installed:

go mod tidy

Usage

Run the gadget-inspector tool to inspect an eBPF ELF file:

sudo ./gadget-inspector ./process_monitor.elf

Expected Output

If the tool runs successfully, you should see output similar to this:

✅ eBPF program loaded successfully!

🔍 eBPF Programs:
- Program: trace_execve
  Type: TracePoint

📌 eBPF Maps:
- Map: process_map
  Type: Hash
  Key Size: 4 bytes
  Value Size: 16 bytes

Understanding the eBPF Program

What Does process_monitor.c Do?

The process_monitor.c eBPF program is designed to trace process execution events in Linux using a tracepoint. It hooks into the execve system call, allowing it to detect when a new process is executed.

  • TracePoint: The program attaches to trace_execve, capturing process execution events.

  • eBPF Maps: The tool stores process information in a hash map for easy lookup.

  • Observability: This allows real-time monitoring of process creation on the system.

Real-World Applications

  • Process Monitoring: Track which processes are being executed on a Linux system.

  • Security Auditing: Detect suspicious process executions and analyze system activity.

  • Performance Optimization: Measure the impact of various processes on system resources.

Conclusion

In this guide, we explored how to build an eBPF-based Gadget Inspector using Go and Cilium's eBPF library. We compiled an eBPF program, loaded it into the kernel, and successfully monitored process execution events.

If you want to contribute or explore more, check out the GitHub repository!

🚀 Happy hacking with eBPF! 🚀

#inspector gadgetKuberneteseBPFCNCFDocker