IBM Support

Release of QRadar 7.5.0 Update Package 6 Interim Fix 04 SFS (750-QRADAR-QRSIEM-2021.6.6.20230823122721)

Release Notes


Abstract

This technical note contains installation instructions, and a list of new features and resolved issues for the IBM Security QRadar 7.5.0 Update Package 6 Interim Fix 04 SFS. These instructions are intended for administrators who are upgrading to QRadar 7.5.0 Update Package 6 Interim Fix 04 by using an SFS file.

Content

What's New

For information on new and changed features in QRadar 7.5.0, see What's new in 7.5.0.
Precheck added for postgresql11 migration

A precheck is added to check all hosts in your QRadar deployment to ensure that all hosts meet the free space requirements for postgresql 11 migration and upgrading. This precheck tests only to verify whether there is enough space to migrate the data and upgrade postgresql. If you launch the update package from your QRadar Console, the precheck checks all hosts in your deployment. Otherwise, it checks only the current host.

The postgresql 11 precheck is independent of the disk space requirements that are calculated by the update package. The update package determines the space required to upgrade the postgresql databases, as well as other RPMs and files needed for install/upgrade/copy.

Upgrading SOAR app might be required

If the IBM SOAR QRadar Plugin app installed, you must upgrade to version 4.05 before you install QRadar 7.5.0 Update Package 5 and later.

New certificate files to fix security browser warning
In QRadar 7.5.0 Update Package 5 and later, vault has been replaced by QRadar Certificate Authority (CA) and intermediate CA. For more information, see Fixing the certificate security browser warning.
Adding QNI hosts to the Data Synchronization app
You can add QRadar Network Insight hosts to the QRadar® Data Synchronization app. For more information, see IBM QRadar Data Synchronization app.

Known Issues

Upgrades to QRadar 7.5.0 UP6 might take longer to complete due to glusterfs file cleanup

Important: Upgrades to QRadar 7.5.0 Update Package 6 might take an extended amount of time to complete due to glusterfs file cleanup. You must allow the upgrade to continue uninterrupted.
For more information, see IJ45878.
After upgrading to QRadar 7.5.0 Update Package 5, WinCollect 7.X agents can experience management or configuration change errors
Important: A flash notice exists for this issue. For the latest information, see https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6953887.
Autoupdates (AU) issue after upgrade to QRadar 7.5.0 or later
It is possible for autoupdates to revert to a previous version of autoupdates after upgrading. This causes autoupdate to not work as intended.
After you upgrade to QRadar 7.5.0 or later, type the following command to check your autoupdate version:
/opt/qradar/bin/UpdateConfs.pl -v
Review the issue and the resolution section for your auto update version on the following technical note, https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6515880.
Docker services do not start when 7.2.8 or earlier appliances are updated to 7.5.0 Update Package 2 Interim Fix 02 or 7.5.0 Update Package 3
Docker services fail to start on QRadar appliances that were originally installed at version 7.2.8 or earlier, then upgraded to 7.5.0 Update Package 2 Interim Fix 02 or 7.5.0 Update Package 3. 

Before you upgrade to QRadar 7.5.0 Update Package 2 Interim Fix 02 run the following command from the QRadar Console:
 
xfs_info /store | grep ftype
Review the output to confirm the ftype setting. If the output setting displays "ftype=0", do not proceed with the upgrade to 7.5.0 Update Package 2 Interim Fix 02 or 7.5.0 Update Package 3.

For more information, see IJ41796.
Apps might go down during base image upgrade
After you install QRadar 7.5.0, your applications might go down temporarily while they are being upgraded to the latest base image.
Issue adding Data Nodes to a cluster
When adding a Data Node to a cluster, they must either all be encrypted, or all be unencrypted. You cannot add both encrypted and unencrypted Data Nodes to the same cluster. 
Kernel crash can affect UEFI systems in QRadar 7.4.2 Fix Pack 2 through to QRadar 7.4.3 Fix Pack 2.
If you are planning to upgrade from any version of QRadar 7.4.2 Fix Pack 2 through to QRadar 7.4.3 Fix Pack 2, contact support.
For more information, see IJ44385.
Hosts with EFI firmware and Secure Boot enabled may become unresponsive.
To avoid this problem, you must import the IBM public key contained on the SFS into the system keyring before patching. For more information, see Updating a Secure Boot enabled system.

Resolved Issues

APARs fixed in QRadar 7.5.0 Update Package 6 Interim Fix 04.

  • IJ46184: QFlow collectors and processors in different domains can experience connection issues
  • IJ47032: Unknown or stored events can route incorrectly to the SIM generic log source in QRadar 7.5.0 UP4 and later
  • IJ43957: Poor scalability in referencedata cache resulting in degrading search performance when using filters and tests

Upgrade information

 

QRadar 7.5.0 Update Package 6 Interim Fix 04 resolves reported issues from users and administrators from previous QRadar versions. This cumulative software update fixes known software issues in your QRadar deployment. QRadar software updates are installed by using an SFS file, and update all appliances attached to the QRadar Console.

The 750-QRADAR-QRSIEM-2021.6.6.20230823122721 SFS file can upgrade the following QRadar versions to QRadar 7.5.0 Update Package 6 Interim Fix 04:

  • QRadar 7.5.0 Update Package 6
  • QRadar 7.5.0 Update Package 6 Interim Fix 01
  • QRadar 7.5.0 Update Package 6 Interim Fix 02
  • QRadar 7.5.0 Update Package 6 Interim Fix 03

However, this document does not cover all of the installation messages and requirements, such as changes to appliance memory requirements or browser requirements for QRadar. To review any additional requirements, see the QRadar Upgrade Guide.

See QRadar: Software update check list for administrators for a list of steps to review before you update your QRadar deployment.

Before you begin

Ensure that you take the following precautions:

  • Back up your data before you begin any software upgrade. For more information about backup and recovery, see the QRadar Administration Guide.
  • To avoid access errors in your log file, close all open QRadar sessions.
  • The QRadar software update cannot be installed on a managed host that is at a different software version from the Console. All appliances in the deployment must be at the same software revision to update the entire deployment.
  • Verify that all changes are deployed on your appliances. The update cannot install on appliances that have changes that are not deployed.
  • If this is a new installation, review the instructions in the QRadar Installation Guide.

Installing the QRadar 7.5.0 Update Package 6 Interim Fix 04 Software Update

These instructions guide you through the process of upgrading an existing QRadar version to QRadar 7.5.0 Update Package 6 Interim Fix 04. To update appliances in parallel, see: QRadar: How to Update Appliances in Parallel.

Procedure

  1. Download the software update to install QRadar 7.5.0 Update Package 6 Interim Fix 04 from the IBM Fix Central website: https://www.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/swg/quickorder?parent=IBM%20Security&product=ibm/Other+software/IBM+Security+QRadar+SIEM&release=7.5.0&platform=Linux&function=fixId&fixids=7.5.0-QRADAR-QRSIEM-20230823122721INT&includeSupersedes=0&source=fc
  2. Use SSH to log in to your Console as the root user.
  3. To verify you have enough space (5GB) in /store/tmp for the QRadar Console, type the following command:
      df -h /tmp /storetmp /store/transient | tee diskchecks.txt
    • Best directory option: /storetmp

      It is available on all appliance types at all versions. In QRadar 7.5.0 versions /store/tmp is a symlink to the /storetmp partition.

If the disk check command fails, retype the quotation marks from your terminal, then re-run the command. This command returns the details to both the command window and to a file on the Console named diskchecks.txt. Review this file to ensure that all appliances have at minimum 5GB of space available in a directory to copy the SFS before attempting to move the file to a managed host. If required, free up disk space on any host that fails to have less that 5GB available.

Note: In QRadar 7.3.0 and later, an update to directory structure for STIG-compliant directories reduces the size of several partitions. This can impact moving large files to QRadar.

  1. To create the /media/updates directory, type the following command:
      mkdir -p /media/updates
  2. Use SCP to copy the files to the QRadar Console to the /storetmp directory or a location with 5GB of disk space.
  3. Change to the directory where you copied the patch file. For example,
      cd /storetmp
  4. To mount the patch file to the /media/updates directory, type the following command:
      mount -o loop -t squashfs /storetmp/750-QRADAR-QRSIEM-2021.6.6.20230823122721.sfs /media/updates
  5. To run the patch installer, type the following command:
      /media/updates/installer 

    Note: The first time that you run the software update, there might be a delay before the software update installation menu is displayed.

  6. Using the patch installer, select all.
    • The all option updates the software on all appliances in the following order:
      1. Console
      2. No order required for remaining appliances. All remaining appliances can be updated in any order that you require.
    • If you do not select the all option, you must select your Console appliance.

      As of QRadar 7.2.6 Patch 4 and later, you are only provided the option to update all or update the Console appliance. Managed hosts are not displayed in the installation menu to ensure that the Console is patched first. After the Console is patched, a list of managed hosts that can be updated is displayed in the installation menu. This change was made starting with QRadar 7.2.6 Patch 4 to ensure that the Console appliance is always updated before managed hosts to prevent upgrade issues.

      If you want to patch systems in series, you can update the Console first, then copy the patch to all other appliances and run the patch installer individually on each managed host. The Console must be patched before you can run the installer on managed hosts. When updating in parallel, there is no order required in how you update appliances after the Console is updated.

      If your Secure Shell (SSH) session is disconnected while the upgrade is in progress, the upgrade continues. When you reopen your SSH session and rerun the installer, the patch installation resumes.

Installation wrap-up

  1. After the patch completes and you have exited the installer, type the following command:
      umount /media/updates
  2. Clear your browser cache before you log in to the Console.
  3. Delete the SFS file from all appliances.

Results

A summary of the software update installation advises you of any managed hosts that were not updated. If the software update fails to update a managed host, you can copy the software update to the host and run the installation locally.

After all hosts are updated, send an email to your team to inform them that they will need to clear their browser cache before they log in to the QRadar SIEM interface.

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Document Information

Modified date:
18 March 2024

UID

ibm17024939