Properly utilizing and thoroughly analyzing your event logs is one of the cornerstones of IT security. Today, cybersecurity is more important than ever and is an entire growing industry all in itself, with the global cybersecurity market estimated to reach almost $250 billion value by 2023. With so much of our personal and financial information depending on various databases and software code, it’s no wonder that every day new methods of attack are devised, and in turn, new defense features are deployed to counteract them. All of this information is stored in event logs, which is why having a dedicated log management tool is so important to IT security. Here are a couple of ways you can use event logs to improve your security.
SETTING UP EVENT LOG MONITORING
Attacks on your system can take place at any time. But just as these malicious processes can be automated, so too can your safety measures. Log management software is critical for staying up-to-date and for establishing a system of rules and protocols that maximizes your system security.
• By setting up event log monitoring protocols, you can make certain that your system is being monitored 24/7. The enemy may never sleep, but that doesn’t mean you should stay awake and worry. With a secure set-up, you can concentrate on fortifying your system’s defenses, instead of spreading your time, efforts, and focus on too many things at once.
• When used in conjunction with other security measures, you can easily configure your own preferred levels of protection for each issue encountered. Notifications can be sent out by email, ensuring you will never miss important alerts and be taken off guard.
• Event log monitoring is extensively used both by system administrators as well as by IT security experts. Sysadmins can use it to quickly sort out real problems from standard non-issues and false positives, while IT experts can use it for testing possible breach points, as an early warning and detection system, and generating their own personalized filters that take into account the hardware and software specifications of the system in question.
EVENTS YOU SHOULD LOG
There are many reasons why you should take care when archiving and checking certain events. Some of these relate to obvious security and performance indicators, but auditing procedures are just as important to any company that wants to keep up with state laws and industry regulations.
• The Windows Security Log contains information relating to, among other things, login and logout activity. Because of its value, this log is a favorite target for hackers, since they often try to mask their presence and activities by altering these files.
• Logs should be consolidated into one central archive. With centralized logging, logs are much easier to comprehend, and having them all in one place lets you compare information in an uncluttered, readable format.
• Event logs can be compressed, which significantly reduces their file size – perfect for long-term archival purposes. Because data retention is sometimes mandated for several years, keeping this historical log data saves you a considerable amount of space in the long run.
• If you want, you can dismiss less important log events in order to create reports for managers and other high-ranking executives that contain only the most important facts and data. These can even be delivered in the form of graphs or pie charts – ideal for providing a clear graphical overview that doesn’t require much technical expertise to understand.
EVENT LOGS ARE HERE TO STAY, SO MAKE USE OF THEM
Never before have more of our information and very livelihoods been intrinsically connected to digital processes beyond our control and often our understanding as well. Even though this can at first seem a bit scary and overwhelming, we also have readily available tools we can use to protect our systems, our data, and our businesses. By making sure we cover all of our bases, we minimize the chances that our precious data will be stolen or somehow compromised.
Together with anti-virus software, firewalls, system updates, and other forms of IT security, log management is a vital part of making sure your system is beefed up against unwanted incursions. A truly reliable project management tool should always contain several must-have features, all of which serve to make your system safer, more compliant, and much more powerful and secure.
