Why it is important to keep track of users’ sign-in logs in M365?
Tracking user sign-in logs in Microsoft 365 is essential for maintaining robust security and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. It enables admins to monitor the applications and resources accessed by users. Additionally, it provides valuable insights into usage patterns and potential security risks.
Microsoft 365 user sign-in logs contain critical information that includes,
- User Identification: Details such as display name and UPN of those who attempted to sign in.
- Authentication Details: Logs whether the sign-in was successful or unsuccessful.
- Client Application Used: Identifies the applications that the user used to access resources.
- IP Address: Indicates the geographic location or network of the sign-in attempt.
- Device Information: Details about the device used, such as device ID or OS.
- Conditional Access Policies: Indicates if any conditional access policies were applied.
- Risk Assessment: Information on the risk level associated with the sign-in attempt.
Keeping track of Microsoft 365 user sign-in logs is crucial for several reasons
- Security Monitoring: Sign-in logs provide valuable insights into user authentication activities, allowing admins to monitor for suspicious behaviour or potential security threats.
- Compliance and Auditing: Keeping sign-in logs assists organizations in meeting regulatory standards and creates a documented history for compliance audits.
- Troubleshooting: Sign-in logs can assist in troubleshooting user access issues by providing details about sign-in attempts and any associated errors or anomalies.
- User Behavior Analysis: Analyzing sign-in logs can offer valuable insights into user behaviour patterns, such as typical login times, locations, and devices used. This information can help administrators identify deviations from normal behaviour, such as unauthorized access attempts or account compromises.
- Policy Enforcement: Sign-in logs can be used to enforce security policies related to user authentication, such as password policies, multi-factor authentication requirements, and access control policies. Admins can review sign-in logs to ensure compliance with these policies and take corrective action if necessary.
Overall, Microsoft 365 user sign-in logs play a vital role in maintaining the security, compliance, and efficiency of an organization.