KismetDB file source

Replaying data

Added: 2019-03

Kismet can replay recorded data in the kismetdb format, the unified log created by Kismet.

Kismet can replay a pcapfile for testing, debugging, demo, or reprocessing.

A kismetdb file can contain packets and device data from any source Kismet handles.

The kismetdb datasource will auto-detect kismetdb files and paths to files:

$ kismet -c /tmp/foo.kismet

It can be manually specified with type=kismetdb, as in:

source=/tmp/foo.kismet:type=kismetdb

The kismetdb capture uses the ‘kismet_cap_kismetdb’ tool which does not need special privileges.

When replying a kismetdb file, data from multiple interfaces will appear as though it is from a single capture source - the kismetdb file.

In addition to the normal options supported by all sources (name, information elements, UUID, etc) the kismetdb source can also support:

pps=rate Normally, kismetdb files are replayed as quickly as possible. On larger logs this can lead to CPU and RAM contention, and dropped packets. Specifying a packets-per-second rate throttles processing of the packet to a more sustainable speed. This option cannot be combined with the realtime option.
realtime=true | false Normally, kismetdb files are replayed as quickly as possible. On larger logs this can lead to CPU and RAM contention, and dropped packets. Specifying realtime=true in your source definition will reduce the packet processing rate to the original capture rate, and the packets will be processed with real-time delays equal to how they were received.

These options can be used in the kismet.conf and kismet_site.conf, as in:

 source=/tmp/foo.kismet:type=kismetdb,name=a_meaningful_name,realtime=true

Or from the command line:

$ kismet -c /tmp/foo.kismet:name=a_meaningful_name,pps=1000