Logwatch: Catch the Intruder
Parse a flood of raw server logs, tally the status codes, and catch a brute-force attack in the act. The daily work of backend and security engineers.
What you'll be able to build
Parse a flood of raw server logs, tally the status codes, and catch a brute-force attack in the act. The daily work of backend and security engineers. Along the way you pick up real, transferable PHP skills, not just this one project:
- preg_match capture groups
- tallying with associative arrays
- grouping and counting
- threshold-based detection rules
- defensive parsing (skip malformed lines)
- arsort to rank offenders
A course like this one
Yours is built from your own placement, so module count and depth will differ. This map shows what a intermediate-level PHP learner building Logwatch actually gets.
- Module 1: Values, variables, and echo5 lessons
Builds the script for your logwatch.
- Module 2: Associative arrays and the array toolkit5 lessons
Builds the array pipeline workflow for your logwatch.
- Module 3: Control flow, truthiness, and predicting output5 lessons
Builds the function that powers your logwatch.
- Module 4: Functions, arrays, and reading errors5 lessons
Builds the reusable class for your logwatch.
- Module 5: Classes, objects, and program design5 lessons
Builds the associative model for your logwatch.
- Module 6: Shipping a reusable PHP tool3 lessons
Builds the command-line tool for your logwatch.
How the lessons actually work
Every lesson has you predict what a piece of PHP code will output before you run it, then run it for real in your browser and fix what you got wrong. Each module ends in a challenge gate with hidden tests, so you can't advance until your code actually works. The course closes with a capstone that assembles everything into Logwatch, and a runnable proof page tied to your own code.
Common questions
How long does the Logwatch: Catch the Intruder course take?
about 7 hours, across 6 modules and 28 lessons, at roughly 15 minutes per lesson. Your own course may run shorter or longer, since it's sized to your placement result, not a fixed template.
Do I need experience?
Some. This is an intermediate-tier PHP project, so it assumes you're comfortable with PHP basics and pushes past them.
How much does it cost?
$15 one-time, no subscription. The first module is free, so you can see exactly how the course teaches before you pay for the rest.