WINDOWS LOGGING CHEAT SHEET - Win 7 thru Win 2012
This “Windows Logging Cheat Sheet” is intended to help you get started setting up basic and necessary Windows Audit Policy and Logging. By no means is this list extensive; but it does include some very common items that should be enabled, configured, gathered and harvested for any Log Management Program. Start with these settings and add to it as you understand better what is in your logs and what you need.

DEFINITIONS::
ENABLE: Things you must do to enable logging to start collecting and keeping events.
CONFIGURE: Configuration that is needed to refine what events you will collect.
GATHER: Tools/Utilities that you can use locally on the system to set or gather log related information – AuditPol,
WEvtUtil, Find, etc.
HARVEST: Events that you would want to harvest into some centralized Event log management solution like syslog, SIEM,
Splunk, etc.
RESOURCES: Places to get information on EventID’s
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www.ultimatewindowssecurity.com/securitylog/encyclopedia/Default.aspx - Better descriptions of Event OD’s www.EventID.Net – Most of the Event ID’s
Google! – But of course
IIS Error Codes - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318380 - IIS Error Codes http://cryptome.org/2014/01/nsa-windows-event.pdf - Good Article http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd772712(v=ws.10).aspx – MS Adv Security Audit Policy Descriptions https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3004375 - Patch and Reg Tweak for KB3004375 Command Line Logging

ENABLE::

ENABLE::

1. LOCAL LOG SIZE: Increase the size of your local logs. Don’t worry you have plenty of disk space, CPU is not an issue
a. Application, System to 250k or larger
b. PowerShell logs to 250k or larger
c. Security Logs to 999,936k (yes this big)
2. LOCAL SECURITY POLICY: Change Security Options –
“Audit: Force audit policy subcategory settings” to
ENABLE. This sets the system to force use of the
“Advanced Audit Policies”
3. GROUP POLICY: All settings mentioned should be set with
Active Directory Group Policy in order to enforce these settings enterprise wide. There are cases where the Local
Security Policy would be used.

1. DNS LOGS: Enable DNS Logging. Capture what DNS queries are happening.
“systemroot\System32\Dns\Dns.log”
a. Log Packets for debugging
b. Outgoing and incoming
c. UDP and TCP
d. Packet type Request and Response
e. Queries/Transfers and updates
2. DHCP LOGS: Add your DHCP Logs –
“%windir%\System32\Dhcp.” This will allow you to detect rogue systems on your network that fall outside your naming convention.
a. EventID = 10 – New IP address was leased

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WINDOWS LOGGING CHEAT SHEET - Win 7 thru Win 2012
Windows Audit Policy settings may be set by the Local Security Policy, Group Policy (preferred) or by command line using ‘AuditPol.exe’. Be sure to select “Configure the following audit events” box on items that say “No Audit” or the policy will not apply. Any that are left blank will break the GPO and auditing will not be applied.
CONFIGURE::

CONFIGURE::

1. SYSTEM AUDIT POLICIES: In order to capture what you want and need the following Advanced Audit Policies must be set. You may expand these to your specific needs, but here is a place to start.

SYSTEM AUDIT POLICIES: Continued

List out the System audit policy

Category/Subcategory
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Command: AuditPol /get /category:*

Category/Subcategory
------------------------------Account Logon
 Credential Validation
 Kerberos Authentication Service
 Kerberos Service Ticket Oper
 Other Account Logon Events
Account Management
 Application Group Management
 Computer Account Management
 Distribution Group Management
 Other Acct Management Events
 Security Group Management
 User Account Management
Detailed Tracking
 DPAPI Activity
 Process Creation
 Process Termination
 RPC Events
DS Access
 Detailed Directory Service Repl
 Directory Service Access
 Directory Service Changes
 Directory Service Replication
Logon/Logoff
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Account Lockout
IPsec Main Mode
IPsec Quick Mode
IPsec Extended Mode
Logoff
Logon
Network Policy Server
Other Logon/Logoff Events
Special Logon
User / Device Claims (8/2012)
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To set an item:

Auditpol /set /category:"Account Management"
/success:enable /failure:enable

Setting
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Object Access
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Setting
-----------------------Success and Failure
No Auditing
No Auditing
Success and Failure
Success and Failure
Success and Failure
Success and Failure
Success and Failure
Success and Failure
Success and Failure
No Auditing
Success and Failure
Success and Failure
Success and Failure
No Auditing
No Auditing
Success and Failure
No Auditing
Success
No Auditing
No Auditing
No Auditing
Success
Success and Failure
Success and Failure
Success and Failure
Success and Failure
No Auditing

Application Generated
Certification Services
Central Policy Staging (8/2012)
Detailed File Share
File Share
File System
Filtering Platform Connection
Filtering Platform Packet Drop
Handle Manipulation
Kernel Object
Other Object Access Events
Removable Storage (8/2012)
Registry
SAM

Success and Failure
Success and Failure
No Auditing
Success
Success and Failure
Success
Success (Win FW)
No Auditing
No Auditing
Success and Failure
No Auditing
Success and Failure
Success
No Auditing

Policy Change
 Audit Policy Change
Success and Failure
 Authentication Policy Change
Success and Failure
 Authorization Policy Change
Success and Failure
 Filtering Platform Policy Change Success (Win FW)
 MPSSVC Rule-Level Policy Change No Auditing
 Other Policy Change Events
No Auditing
Privilege Use
 Non Sensitive Privilege Use
No Auditing
 Other Privilege Use Events
No Auditing
 Sensitive Privilege Use
Success and Failure
System
 IPsec Driver
Success
 Other System Events
Failure
 Security State Change
Success and Failure
 Security System Extension
Success and Failure
 System Integrity
Success and Failure
Global Object Access Auditing – ignore for now

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WINDOWS LOGGING CHEAT SHEET - Win 7 thru Win 2012
CONFIGURE::
1. FILE AUDIT: Select directories you want to monitor file activity. Right-Click directory – Properties – Security –
Advanced – Auditing – Edit – Add – EVERYONE – (check names), OK a. Apply onto – THIS FOLDER ONLY (or what you want)
b. Create file / write data – Successful
c. Create folders / append data - Successful
2. DIRS TO AUDIT:
a. \Perflogs
b. \ProgramData
c. \Program Files
d. \Program Files (x86)
e. \Windows
f. \System
g. \System32
h. \System32\drivers
i. \System32\Wbem
j. \Users\Public\*
k. \Users\XYZ\AppData\Local
l. \Users\XYZ\AppData\Locallow
m. \Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming
n. \Windows\Web
Whatever else you want to audit
3. To apply these audit settings it is a by system manual method or you can use PowerShell, subinacls(warning)
4. WEvtUtil: Use this utility to configure your log settings
a. WevtUtil gl Security – List settings of the Security Log
b. WevtUtil sl Security /ms:512000000 – Set the Security Log size to the number of bytes
c. WevtUtil sl Security /rt:false – Overwrite as needed

CONFIGURE::
1. REGISTRY AUDIT: Select Registry Keys you want to monitor changes to. Right-Click a Key – Permissions – Advanced –
Auditing – Add – EVERYONE – (check names), OK.
a. Apply onto – THIS KEY ONLY (or what you want)
b. Select ‘Set Value’, ‘Create Subkey’, ‘Create Link’, ‘Delete’, ‘Write DAC’ & ‘Write Owner’ to start
c. Be careful setting auditing to ‘Keys and subkeys’ as this can generate a lot of data
2. KEYS TO AUDIT:
a. HKCU & HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
i. Run ii. RunOnce
b. HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet
i. Services (noisy)
c. HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
i. AppInit_Dlls value
3. REG.EXE: Use this utility to query what is in a Key or the data within a key or value
a. Query a Key and all values - Reg query "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"
b. Query a value of a Key - Reg query "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run" /v malware

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WINDOWS LOGGING CHEAT SHEET - Win 7 thru Win 2012
GATHER::
1. AUDITPOL: Use this utility to view your current log settings
a. List all Policies categories: AuditPol /List /Subcategory:*
b. List what is SET: AuditPol /get /category:*
c. List what is SET for a subcategory:
 AuditPol /get /category:"Object Access”
2. Reg.exe: Use this utility to query the registry
a. Changes to AppInit_Dlls - reg query "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows" /v
AppInit_Dlls
b. Changes to Services Keys - reg query "HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services"
c. Changes to Machine Run Key - reg query "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run”
d. Changes to Machine RunOnce Key - reg query "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce”
e. Changes to User Run Key - reg query "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run”
f. Changes to User RunOnce Key - reg query "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce”
g.
3. SC.exe: Use this utility to query the services (sc /? For help)
a. List all services in any state – sc.exe query state= all (Note: ‘space’ after the = sign)
b. Look for a specific service – sc.exe query state= all | find /I “telnet”
c. After finding the ‘Display_Name’ then look for the ‘Service_Name’ to get the short name
GATHER::
1. WEvtUtil: Use this utility to query your logs
a. WevtUtil qe Security – query the Security Log for events
i. Lots of flags here so read help “WevtUtil -?” ii. /c:5 = Read 5 events iii. /rd:true = newest events first iv. /f:text = format text, also can do XML
b. Success & Failed Logons - WevtUtil qe Security /q:"*[System[(EventID=4624 or EventID=4625)]]" /c:5 /rd:true
/f:text >Parsed\%computername%_Logon_Events_Win7.log
c. User Account Change - WevtUtil qe Security /q:"*[System[(EventID=4738)]]" /c:5 /rd:true /f:text
>Parsed\R_%computername%_User_Account_Change_Win7.log
d. New Service Installed - WevtUtil qe Security /q:"*[System[(EventID=7045)]]" /c:5 /rd:true /f:text
>Parsed\R_%computername%_New_Service_Installed_Win7.log
e. User Account Changes - wevtutil qe Security /q:"*[System[(EventID=4725 or EventID=4722 or EventID=4723 or
EventID=4724 or EventID=4726 or EventID=4767)]]" /c:10 /f:text
2. Filtering Log Results: Use this method to filter lines within the logs
a. Registry Changed – Find entries with ‘Object Name’ - WevtUtil qe Security /q:"*[System[(EventID=4657)]]" /c:5
/rd:true /f:text |find /i"Object Name"
b. File or Registry Changed – Find entries with ‘Object Name’ - WevtUtil qe Security /q:"*[System[(EventID=4663)]]"
/c:50 /rd:true /f:text |find /i "Object Name"
c. Files – Find new files with ‘Wbem’ - WevtUtil qe Security /q:"*[System[(EventID=4663)]]" /c:50 /rd:true /f:text
|find /i "wbem"
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WINDOWS LOGGING CHEAT SHEET - Win 7 thru Win 2012
HARVEST::

HARVEST::

1. LOG CLEAR: Watch for log clear messages
a. 104 – SYSTEM Log – The Application or System log was cleared
b. 1102 – SECURITY Log – The audit log was cleared
2. TASKS: Watch for a Process to start and call other processes a. 4698 – SECURITY Log – New Task Created
3. DRIVER: Watch for an issue with a driver
a. 40 – Issue with Driver
4. OS VERSION: What OS do machines have
a. 6009 – Lists OS version, Service Pack and processor type 1. PROCESSES: Watch for a Process to start and call other processes a. 4688 – SECURITY Log – New Process Name, look for Creator Process ID to link what process launched what
2. INSTALLER: Watch for the Windows Installer activity
a. 1022 – Windows Installer updated the product
b. 1033 – Windows Installer installed the product
c. 1034 – Windows Installer removed the product
3. WINDOWS UPDATE: Watch for the Windows Update
Agent activity.
a. 18 = Ready, 19 = Installed, 20= Failure
4. WINDOWS TIME: Watch for the Windows Service synchronization. Make sure your sources are what they are supposed to be.
a. 35 – Time Service sync status and source
5. APPLICATION ERROR: Watch for application crashes.
a. 1000 – (Application Log) Application Fault

HARVEST::
1. ACCOUNTS: Monitor for attempts to change an account password a. 4724 – An attempt was made to reset an accounts password. b. 4735 – Local Group changed
c. 4738 – User account password changed

HARVEST::
1. SERVICES: Found in the SYSTEM log
d. 7045 - Message=A service was installed in the system.
e. 7040 - Message=The start type of the XYZ service was changed from auto start to disabled.
f. 7000 - Message=The XYX service failed to start due to the following error: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion.
g. 7022 - Message=The XYZ service hung on starting.
h. 7024 - Message=The XYZ service terminated with service-specific error %%2414.
i. 7031 - Message=The XYZ service terminated unexpectedly. It has done this 1 time(s). The following corrective action will be taken in 60000 milliseconds: Restart the service.
j. 7034 - Message=The XYZ service terminated unexpectedly. It has done this 1 time(s).
k. 7035 – Service sent a request to Stop or Start
l. 7036 – Service was Started or Stopped
HARVEST::

HARVEST::

1. AUDIT POLICY: Watch for changes to the Audit Policy that are NOT “SYSTEM”
a. 4719 – System audit policy was changed

1.

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2.

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APPLOCKER: Watch for triggers to AppLocker events (80008027)
a. 8004 – Filename not allowed to run
SRP: Watch for triggers to Software Restriction Policies
b. 865 – Access to has been restricted
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WINDOWS LOGGING CHEAT SHEET - Win 7 thru Win 2012
HARVEST::

HARVEST::

1. NEW FILE ADDED: Watch for the creation of new files.
Requires File auditing of the directory(s) that you want to monitor b. 4663 – Accesses: WriteData (or AddFile)
c. GREAT for CryptoWare & Malware drops

1. REGISTRY: Monitor certain Keys for Add, Changes and
Deletes. Setting auditing on the Specific keys is required. a. 4657 – A Registry value was modified

HARVEST::

HARVEST::

1. LOGON TYPE: Monitor for what type of logons occur
a. 4624 - Message=An account was successfully logged on.
i. Type 2 – Interactive – GUI ii. Type 3 – Network – Net Use iii. Type 4 – Batch iv. Type 5 – Service
v. Type 7 – Unlock vi. Type 8 – Network Clear Text vii. Type 9 – New Credentials (RDP Tools) viii. Type 10 – Remote Interactive (RDP) ix. Type 11 – Cached Interactive (laptops)
b. 4625 - Message = An account failed to log on.

2. FIREWALL: Windows Filtering Platform - Watch for
Inbound and Outbound connections – Requires
Windows Firewall to be enabled
a. This is the noisiest of all Events. Generating easily 9,000 - 10,000 events per hour per system
b. Storage is required to utilize this event
c. 5156 – Message=The Windows Filtering
Platform has permitted a connection. Look for:
i. Direction:, Source Address:, Source
Port:, Destination Address: &
Destination Port:

HARVEST::
1. SYSTEM INTEGRITY: Watch for files with page images with bad hashes
a. 6281 – Failed – “page hashes of an image file are not valid”

HARVEST::
1. EMAIL / VPN: Monitor for failed and successful logins to your VPN and Webmail application. Consider emailing user if login is from a new IP not in your exclude list
a. sc_status=401 – Failed OWA login
b. "reason = Invalid password" – Failed VPN login
- Cisco

HARVEST::
1.

REGISTRY: Watch for the creation or modification of new registry keys and values
a. 4657 – Accesses: WriteData (or AddFile)
i. HKLM, HKCU & HKU – Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
1. Run, RunOnce ii. HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
1. Watch AppInit_Dlls iii. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\EMDMgmt
1. Watch Connection time of USB Devices iv. HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services
1. Watch for NEW Services
v. HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USBSTOR
1. Watch for NEW USB devices
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