132.4. Event IDs to monitor

Table of Contents

When it comes to Windows log collection, one of the most challenging tasks of a system administrator is deciding which event IDs to monitor. Due to the large number of event IDs in use, this can be daunting at first sight. Therefore, this section aims to provide guidance about selecting event IDs to monitor, with some example configurations.

Note	Event IDs are unique per source but are not globally unique. The same event ID may be used by different sources to identify unrelated occurrences.

132.4.1. Finding the right event IDs

An excellent general source to start with is the Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 security auditing and monitoring reference. It provides detailed descriptions about event IDs used for security audit policies. There are additional resources to find events to monitor, see below:

The Microsoft Events and Errors page on Microsoft Docs provides a directory of events grouped by area. Start by navigating through the areas listed in the Available Documentation section.
Palantir has published a Windows Event Forwarding Guidance repository, which contains a comprehensive WEF Event Mappings table with categorized event IDs and details.
The NSA Spotting the Adversary with Windows Event Log Monitoring paper provides event IDs for security monitoring. See the example configuration here.
The JPCERT/CC Detecting Lateral Movements Tool Analysis resource provides a collection of event codes that are observed to indicate lateral movements. See the example configuration here.
See the NXLog User Guide on Active Directory Domain Services for a list and configuration sample of security event IDs relevant to Active Directory.

The table below displays a small sample of important events to monitor in the Windows Server Security Log for a local server. See the Security-focused Event IDs to Monitor section for the configuration file holding these event IDs.

Table 124. Example list of security-focused event IDs to monitor
Event ID	Description
1102	The audit log was cleared.
4719	System audit policy was changed.
4704	A user right was assigned.
4717	System security access was granted to an account.
4738	A user account was changed.
4798	A user’s local group membership was enumerated.
4705	A user right was removed.
4674	An operation was attempted on a privileged object.
4732	A member was added to a security-enabled local group.
4697	A service was installed in the system.
4625	An account failed to log on.
4648	A logon was attempted using explicit credentials.
4723	An attempt was made to change an account’s password.
4946	A change has been made to Windows Firewall exception list. A rule was added.
4950	A Windows Firewall setting has changed.
6416	A new external device was recognized by the system.
6424	The installation of this device was allowed, after having previously been forbidden by policy.

132.4.2. Example monitoring configurations

Once a set of event IDs has been selected for monitoring, the im_msvistalog module can be configured.

Note	The example configurations in this section are likely to require further modifications to suit each individual deployment.

Note

Due to a bug or limitation of the Windows Event Log API, 23 or more clauses in a query will result in a failure with the following error message:

ERROR failed to subscribe to msvistalog events, the Query is invalid:
      This operator is unsupported by this implementation of the filter.;
      [error code: 15001]

Note	Event IDs are globally applied to all providers of a given XPath expression so events that match these IDs will be collected. You should tweak your chosen dashboard or alerting system to ensure that the right Event IDs and its subsequent providers are appropriately associated.

Example 643. Basic configuration example of security-focused event IDs to monitor

This configuration provides a basic example of Windows Security events to monitor. Since only a small number of IDs are presented, this configuration explicitly provides the actual event IDs to be collected.

nxlog.conf

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  <Input MonitorWindowsSecurityEvents>
    Module    im_msvistalog
    <QueryXML>
        <QueryList>
            <Query Id="0">
                <Select Path="Security">*[System[(Level=1  or Level=2 or Level=3 or Level=4 or Level=0) and (EventID=1102 or EventID=4719 or EventID=4704 or EventID=4717 or EventID=4738 or EventID=4798 or EventID=4705 or EventID=4674 or EventID=4697 or EventID=4648 or EventID=4723 or EventID=4946 or EventID=4950 or EventID=6416 or EventID=6424 or EventID=4732)]]</Select>
            </Query>
         </QueryList>
    </QueryXML>
</Input>

Example 644. Extended configuration example of security-focused event IDs to monitor

This extended configuration provides a much wider scope of log collection. Note that this approach for specifying the event IDs requires defining the event IDs based on groups of events first. The QueryXML paths are added in the QueryXML block in bulk. Then the Exec block will filter for the defined event IDs, but only within the paths specified. It also drops event IDs that are not defined.

nxlog.conf

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  # define Account Usage Events
define AccountUsage        4740, 4648, 4781, 4733, 1518, 4776, 5376, 5377, \
                           4625, 300, 4634, 4672, 4720, 4722, 4782, 4793, \
                           4731, 4735, 4766, 4765, 4624, 1511, 4726, 4725, \
                           4767, 4728, 4732, 4756, 4704

# define Application Crash Events
define AppCrashes          1000, 1002, 1001

# define Application Whitelisting Events
define AppWhitelisting     8023, 8020, 8002, 8003, 8004, 8006, 8007, 4688, \
                           4689, 8005, 865, 866, 867, 868, 882

# define Boot Events
define BootEvents          13, 12

# define Certificate Services Events
define CertServices        95, 4886, 4890, 4874, 4873, 4870, 4887, 4885, \
                           4899, 4896, 1006, 1004, 1007, 1003, 1001, 1002

# define Clearing Event Logs Events
define ClearingLogs        1100, 104, 1102

# define DNS and Directory Services Events
define DNSDirectoryServ    5137, 5141, 5136, 5139, 5138, 3008, 3020

# define External Media Detection events
define ExtMedia            400, 410

# define Group Policy Error Events
define GroupPolicyError    112, 1001, 1125, 1126, 1127, 1129

# define Kernel Driver Signing Events
define KernelDriver        3001, 3002, 3003, 3004, 3010, 3023, 5038, \
                           6281, 219

# define Microsoft Cryptography API Events
define MSFTCryptoAPI       11, 70, 90

# define Mobile Device Activities
define MobileDeviceEvents  10000, 10001


# define Network Host Activities
define NetworkHost         4714, 4713, 4769, 6273, 6275, 6274, 6272, \
                           6278, 6277, 6279, 6276, 6280, 5140, 5145, \
                           5142, 5144, 4706, 1024, 4897, 4719, 4716, \
                           4779, 4778, 5632

# define PassTheHash Detection Events
define PassTheHash         4624, 4625

# define PowerShell Activities
define PowerShell          800, 169, 4103, 4104, 4105, 4106

# define Printing Services Events
define PrintingServices    307

# define Logon Events
define LogonEvents         4624, 4634

# define Software Service Installation Events
define Installation        903, 904, 6, 1022, 1033, 7045, 907, 908, 7000, \
                           800, 2, 905, 906, 19

# define System Integrity Events
define SystemIntegrity     4657, 1, 4616

# define System or Service Failure Events
define SystemServiceFail   7022, 7023, 7024, 7026, 7031, 7032, 7034

# define Task Scheduler Activities
define TaskScheduler       106, 141, 142, 200

# define Windows Defender Activities
define WinDefender         1008, 1006, 1116, 1010, 2003, 2001, 1009, 1118, \
                           1119, 1007, 1117, 3002, 2004, 1005, 5008

# define Windows Firewall Events
define WinFirewall         2009, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2033

# define Windows Update Error Events
define WinUpdateError      1009, 20, 24, 25, 31, 34, 35

<Input ExtendedWindowsToCollect>
    Module                 im_msvistalog
    TolerateQueryErrors    TRUE
    <QueryXML>
        <QueryList>
            <Query Id="0">
                <Select Path="Application">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Security">*</Select>
                <Select Path="System">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-Application-Experience/Program-Compatibility-Assistant">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-Application-Experience/Program-Compatibility-Troubleshooter">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-Application-Experience/Program-Inventory">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-Application-Experience/Program-Telemetry">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-Application-Experience/Steps-Recorder">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-AppLocker/EXE and DLL">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-AppLocker/MSI and Script">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-AppLocker/Packaged app-Deployment">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-AppLocker/Packaged app-Execution">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-CAPI2/Operational">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-CertificateServicesClient-Lifecycle-System/Operational">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-DNS-Client/Operational">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-GroupPolicy/Operational">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-PnP/Configuration">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-NetworkProfile/Operational">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-NTLM/Operational">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Admin">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-PrintService/Admin">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-PrintService/Operational">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-TaskScheduler/Operational">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-TerminalServices-RDPClient/Operational">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-User Profile Service/Operational">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-Windows Defender/Operational">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-Windows Defender/WHC">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-Windows Firewall With Advanced Security/ConnectionSecurity">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-Windows Firewall With Advanced Security/ConnectionSecurityVerbose">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-Windows Firewall With Advanced Security/Firewall">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-Windows Firewall With Advanced Security/FirewallDiagnostics">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-Windows Firewall With Advanced Security/FirewallVerbose">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Network Isolation Operational">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-WindowsUpdateClient/Operational">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Windows PowerShell">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-CodeIntegrity/Operational">*[System[Provider[@Name='Microsoft-Windows-CodeIntegrity']]]</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-LSA/Operational">*</Select>
            </Query>
        </QueryList>
    </QueryXML>
    <Exec>
       if ($EventID NOT IN (%AccountUsage%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%AppCrashes%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%AppWhitelisting%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%BootEvents%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%CertServices%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%ClearingLogs%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%DNSDirectoryServ%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%ExtMedia%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%GroupPolicyError%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%KernelDriver%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%MSFTCryptoAPI%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%MobileDeviceEvents%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%NetworkHost%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%PassTheHash%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%PowerShell%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%PrintingServices%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%LogonEvents%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%Installation%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%SystemIntegrity%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%SystemServiceFail%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%TaskScheduler%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%WinDefender%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%WinFirewall%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%WinUpdateError%)) drop();
    </Exec>
</Input>

Example 645. Configuration example of event IDs corresponding to lateral movements

This configuration, similar to the extended configuration above, lists event IDs associated with the detection of malicious lateral movements. It is based on the security research conducted by the CERT (Computer Emergency Response Team) cybersecurity researchers on Detecting Lateral Movement through Tracking Event Logs.

nxlog.conf

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  # define Security Events
define SecurityEvents          4624, 4634, 4648, 4656, 4658, 4660, 4663, 4672, \
                               4673, 4688, 4689, 4698, 4720, 4768, 4769, 4946, \
                               5140, 5142, 5144, 5145, 5154, 5156, 5447, 8222

# define Sysmon Events
define SysmonEvents             1, 2, 5, 8, 9

# define Application Management event
define ApplicationMgmt          104

# define Windows Remote Management Events
define WRMEvents                80, 132, 143, 166, 81

# define Task Scheduler - Operational Events
define TaskSchedEvents          106, 129, 200, 201

# define Local Session Manager - Operational Events
define LocalSessionMgrEvents    21, 24

#define BitsClient Events
define BitsClientsEvents        60

<Input LateralMovementEvents>
    Module                 im_msvistalog
    TolerateQueryErrors    TRUE
    <QueryXML>
        <QueryList>
            <Query Id="0">
                <Select Path="Security">*</Select>
                <Select Path="System">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-Bits-Client/Operational">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-TaskScheduler/Operational">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-TerminalServices-LocalSessionManager/Admin">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-TerminalServices-LocalSessionManager/Operational">*</Select>
                <Select Path="Microsoft-Windows-WinRM/Operational">*</Select>
            </Query>
        </QueryList>
    </QueryXML>
    <Exec>
       if ($EventID NOT IN (%SecurityEvents%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%SysmonEvents%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%WRMEvents%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%TaskSchedEvents%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%ApplicationMgmt%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%LocalSessionMgrEvents%)) and
          ($EventID NOT IN (%BitsClientsEvents%)) drop();
    </Exec>
</Input>

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