Kerfislog

Kerfislog is a term used to describe a persistent, append-only log maintained by a kernel-level subsystem to record events related to system operation, resource usage, and security. It is intended to provide an auditable trail that supports debugging, forensics, and the reproducibility of incident analysis.

The kerfislog data model centers on immutable entries. Each record includes a monotonically increasing sequence number, a timestamp, a subsystem or module label, an event type, and a payload with structured metadata. Logs can be segmented, compressed, and optionally secured with integrity checks, such as cryptographic hashes or a Merkle-tree chain.

Access is typically provided through a kernel API paired with a user-space interface or daemon. This enables time-bounded searches, filtering by event type or process, streaming of live entries, and the ability to snapshot or export portions of the log for offline analysis.

Common use cases include kernel debugging, security auditing, and research into reproducible system behavior. Kerfislog is designed to complement existing logging solutions by offering a tamper-evident, append-only record that can be replayed to understand sequences of events.

Origin and status: kerfislog appears primarily in theoretical and prototype contexts and does not refer to a single universal implementation. In practice, it is discussed as a design concept alongside established logging and tracing tools, with ongoing work on standards and interoperability.