> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.conduktor.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Kafka audit log topic configuration

> Configure a Kafka topic as the destination for Conduktor audit logs. Stream all Console and Gateway audit events to a topic for compliance and analysis.

## Overview

By default, Console's audit log is stored in the connected PostgreSQL database but from [version 1.28.0](/snippets/changelog/Console-1.28.0#publish-auditlog-cloudevents-into-kafka), you can have Console send it to a Kafka topic.

In addition to the export feature, you can easily integrate the Console audit log with your SIEM or log management system.

[See the full list of audit log events](/guide/conduktor-in-production/admin/audit-logs).

Let's see how to configure the audit log to be sent to a Kafka topic and then export it as CSV or JSON.

## Send the Console audit log to a Kafka topic

In the Console deployment configuration, set the following properties:

```yaml theme={null}
CDK_AUDITLOGPUBLISHER_CLUSTER: my-kafka-cluster                 # Mandatory
CDK_AUDITLOGPUBLISHER_TOPICNAME: _conduktor_console_audit_log   # Mandatory
CDK_AUDITLOGPUBLISHER_TOPICCONFIG_PARTITION: 1                  # Optional, default is 1
CDK_AUDITLOGPUBLISHER_TOPICCONFIG_REPLICATIONFACTOR: 1          # Optional, default is 1
```

Once you've added these properties in your Console deployment configuration, simply restart it.

This will create a new topic (if it doesn't exist) in the cluster named `my-kafka-cluster`. This new topic will be named `_conduktor_console_audit_log`, and will have 1 partition and a replication factor of 1.

Note that the principal used by Console to connect to your Kafka cluster has to have the following minimum set of permissions:

* Topics: Create, Describe, DescribeConfigs, Write
* Cluster: Create, Describe, DescribeConfigs

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/conduktor/Kbwb2r5-pp_mR-Oq/images/minimum-set-acls.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=Kbwb2r5-pp_mR-Oq&q=85&s=df1adc4c2aa1d9efce8696c4ee9e5821" alt="Minimum permissions for Audit log topic" width="2502" height="1198" data-path="images/minimum-set-acls.png" />

## Export the audit log

To export the audit log from this Kafka topic, open Console and go to the **Consume** page of this topic.

Here, click on the *...* button at the top right of the records table and select either `Export to CSV` or `Export to JSON`.

You can then import that file in your SIEM or log management system.

## Troubleshoot

<Accordion title="I don't see the `_conduktor_console_audit_log` topic in your Kafka cluster">
  Check whether **internal topics are hidden**, if not, check the Console logs for errors.

  Otherwise, the issue could be a misconfigured name of the Kafka cluster.
  In that's the case, you'll see this message in the logs: *Failed to publish audit log event: Not found. Could not find cluster my-kafka-cluster*.

  Make sure that the Kafka **cluster name matches the ID you can see** in the clusters dropdown in Console.
</Accordion>