Microsoft Expands Security Logging and Offers 365 Clients Free Access

Microsoft expanded cloud logging accessibility and flexibility for customers’ deeper security visibility.

This expansion coordinates results with commercial and government customers and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) about security to provide cloud customers with insight and analysis.

The wider availability of a Microsoft signing key has emerged following a notorious incident involving Chinese hackers.

These hackers managed to exploit the key, gaining unauthorized access to numerous corporate and government Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft 365 accounts, ultimately resulting in the theft of sensitive email data.

With the cloud, software updates happen automatically and security monitoring is centralized.

Log data provides detailed and auditable information on application and device access for customers using the cloud.

Digital forensics and incident response teams rely on log data to identify instances where an attacker is posing as an authorized user.

Microsoft provides cloud security to worldwide customers at no additional ended the coming months.

Microsoft Purview Audit

Customers can utilize Microsoft Purview Audit to visualize various types of log data, enabling them to respond more effectively to security events, investigations, and compliance obligations.

In Audit (standard), after expanding, the customer has a detailed log of email access and more than 30 other types of log data previously available only at the premium level also it increases the retention period from 90 days to 180 days.

In Audit (Premium) already, customers will receive access to all available audit logging events, including insights it helps in the Microsoft purview compliance portal and Office 365 Management Activity API.  An additional feature of expanding Premium includes longer retention periods and automation support for importing log data. 

“After working collaboratively for over a year, I am extremely pleased with Microsoft’s decision to make necessary log types available to the broader cybersecurity community at no additional cost,” said CISA Director Jen Easterly.

The update will be rolled out over September 2023 to all government and commercial customers.

All the existing and new logs can be accessible; visit the Microsoft Purview compliance portal and select Audit from the Solutions panel.

“We believe that every organization deserves to have products that are secure by design and come with necessary security data “out of the box,” reads the CISA report.