Log File Auditing
An audit log is basically a record of events and changes. Devices across one’s system’s network create logs based on events. Records of these event logs, typically a series of activities or a particular activity. They, however, don’t always operate in the same manner. They differ significantly among applications, devices, and even operating systems. They record events by analyzing who did an activity, what activity was performed, and the response from the system
Audit logs note every change within a system, providing a complete record of your system’s operations. Audit logs, therefore, are a resource of high value to administrators and auditors who would like to assess suspicious activity on a network or diagnose and troubleshoot issues. These audit logs give a reflection into what behavior is normal and what isn’t. For instance, a log file event will show the attempted activity and whether it was a success. This can be useful when examining whether a system component is likely to fail.
Audit logs can both be electronic or manual records even though the term refers to digital records. Log audits could be as simple as basic files or database tables, but they can be confusing hence the need for structuring (Smith, 2020). An audit log review can also be used. This provides a tried and tested structure and format that only requires you to key in your logs. Audit logs allow your security team to reconstruct events if there is some trouble (Walsh, 2018). The documentation provides the security administrator with needed information for rapid recovery from an intrusion.
The problem is that audit logs are vulnerable. If a log audit is misconfigured, corrupted, or compromised, it is useless (Petters, 2020). Understanding the basis of audit logging is, therefore, very important. Basic forms of audit log management and event log auditing, such as manually combing through your records, are only suitable for small scale enterprises. Log auditing software is necessary if you need something massive and less vulnerable to errors.
References
Walsh, K. 2018, August 6 Audit log best practices for information security https://reciprocitylabs.com/audit-log-best-practices-for-information-security/
Petters, J. 2020, May 22 Complete guide to windows file system auditing https://www.varonis.com/blog/windows-file-system-auditing/
Smith, R. 2018, August 2 What are Audit logs https://rollout.io/blog/audit-logs/