Key Windows Security Event IDs To Track
As organizations increasingly rely on digital technologies for business operations, cybersecurity becomes increasingly critical. Security information and event management (SIEM) is a critical tool that organizations use to monitor their IT infrastructure and identify security threats. Windows operating systems generate several security events that SIEMs can monitor to detect and respond to security incidents. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the most important windows security events to look out for in your SIEM and the specific event IDs associated with each.
Successful Logon Events (Event ID: 4624)
Successful logon events (Event ID: 4624) indicate when a user logs on to a system or network using valid credentials. Monitoring successful logon events can help detect potential unauthorized access attempts. For example, if you notice a successful logon event from an account that has been inactive for a long time, this could be an indication of a compromised account.
Failed Logon Events (Event ID: 4625)
Failed logon events (Event ID: 4625) indicate when a user attempts to log on to a system or network but fails due to incorrect credentials. Monitoring failed logon events can help detect potential brute force attacks, where an attacker tries to gain access to a system by guessing passwords repeatedly. For example, if you notice multiple failed logon attempts from the same IP address, this could be an indication of a brute force attack.
Account Lockout Events (Event ID: 4740)
Account lockout events (Event ID: 4740) occur when a user's account is locked out after multiple failed logon attempts. Monitoring account lockout events can help detect potential brute force attacks and prevent further attempts to access the system using the same credentials.
Privilege Escalation Events (Event ID: 4672, 4673)
Privilege escalation events (Event ID: 4672, 4673) occur when a user or process gains higher privileges on a system than they originally had. Monitoring privilege escalation events can help detect potential attacks where an attacker tries to gain administrative access to a system. For example, if you notice a user account that is granted administrative privileges without proper authorization, this could be an indication of a privilege escalation attack.
File and Folder Access Events (Event ID: 4656, 4663)
Windows generates events when a user accesses, modifies, or deletes files and folders on a system. Monitoring these events (Event ID: 4656, 4663) can help detect potential insider threats or unauthorized access attempts. For example, if you notice a user accessing files or folders that they should not have access to, this could be an indication of an insider threat.
Security Policy Change Events (Event ID: 4719)
Security policy change events (Event ID: 4719) occur when changes are made to security policies on a system. Monitoring security policy change events can help detect potential attacks where an attacker tries to modify security settings to gain unauthorized access to a system. For example, if you notice changes to security policies that you did not authorize, this could be an indication of an attack.
Monitoring windows security events is critical for detecting potential security threats and preventing security incidents. By monitoring the specific event IDs associated with successful logon events, failed logon events, account lockout events, privilege escalation events, file and folder access events, and security policy change events, you can identify potential threats early and take proactive measures to prevent them from causing damage to your IT infrastructure.
