event-log interview questions
Top event-log frequently asked interview questions
Is there an equivalent to the Windows Event Log in Linux? When services crash or processes running in disconnected session explode, where's the problem logged to?
More specifically, if a Java JVM app dies, where does the JVM write to? On Windows, there's the WER system that collects crash telemetry (more info).
Source: (StackOverflow)
An app I was running crashed and I wanted to know when it happened, so I opened up the Windows event viewer and looked for an entry. I found the entry, and then noticed one of the details of the entry is this:
Faulting application start time: 0x01ccfe1e3e206d42
Cool, I thought, because I also wanted to know how long the app was executing. How do I decipher that string of hex and convert it into a date and time?
Source: (StackOverflow)
I was doing some routine maintenance on a Windows Server 2008 box that I manage. When looking at the Security Log in the Windows Event Log interface I see a burst of 50-200 failed logins that happen over a 15 minute span. So it's obvious this is not someone who just forgot their password.
I know there are a lot of bots out there pinging servers and taking shots at firewalls. My question is if there is any yard stick to measure how bad the problem is? What is normal for a Windows Server running behind a firewall?
Source: (StackOverflow)
If an installation of windows is unbootable, is it possible to access the event log from a Linux LiveCD?
Source: (StackOverflow)
I believe there is no other way to check on a Windows System (for instance Win 7) who has copied or access a file or folder except for enabling File Auditing in the Local Security Policy.
Now that I have enabled the policy (Security Settings > Audit Policy > Audit Object Access (Success, Failure); my question is how do I know now if someone has copied/viewed/modified the file/folder?
Source: (StackOverflow)
I woke up around noon to find my computer unlocked, despite having remembered locking it the previous night and not using it since. I checked the security log, and saw a "logon" event from 11:16 AM. Only thing is, I was asleep then, and noone else with access to my computer knows my password. Just to be safe, I'm running a virus scan, but so far it hasn't found anything. What could have happened?
The text of the event log entry is below.
By the way, I checked and there is a "logoff" event around the time I remembered locking my computer last night.
Log entry:
Log Name: Security
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Security-Auditing
Date: 1/29/2014 11:16:10 AM
Event ID: 4624
Task Category: Logon
Level: Information
Keywords: Audit Success
User: N/A
Computer: FLARNDT
Description:
An account was successfully logged on.
Subject:
Security ID: SYSTEM
Account Name: FLARNDT$
Account Domain: WORKGROUP
Logon ID: 0x3E7
Logon Type: 5
Impersonation Level: Impersonation
New Logon:
Security ID: SYSTEM
Account Name: SYSTEM
Account Domain: NT AUTHORITY
Logon ID: 0x3E7
Logon GUID: {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}
Process Information:
Process ID: 0x188
Process Name: C:\Windows\System32\services.exe
Network Information:
Workstation Name:
Source Network Address: -
Source Port: -
Detailed Authentication Information:
Logon Process: Advapi
Authentication Package: Negotiate
Transited Services: -
Package Name (NTLM only): -
Key Length: 0
This event is generated when a logon session is created. It is generated on the computer that was accessed.
The subject fields indicate the account on the local system which requested the logon. This is most commonly a service such as the Server service, or a local process such as Winlogon.exe or Services.exe.
The logon type field indicates the kind of logon that occurred. The most common types are 2 (interactive) and 3 (network).
The New Logon fields indicate the account for whom the new logon was created, i.e. the account that was logged on.
The network fields indicate where a remote logon request originated. Workstation name is not always available and may be left blank in some cases.
The impersonation level field indicates the extent to which a process in the logon session can impersonate.
The authentication information fields provide detailed information about this specific logon request.
- Logon GUID is a unique identifier that can be used to correlate this event with a KDC event.
- Transited services indicate which intermediate services have participated in this logon request.
- Package name indicates which sub-protocol was used among the NTLM protocols.
- Key length indicates the length of the generated session key. This will be 0 if no session key was requested.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-Auditing" Guid="{54849625-5478-4994-A5BA-3E3B0328C30D}" />
<EventID>4624</EventID>
<Version>1</Version>
<Level>0</Level>
<Task>12544</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x8020000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2014-01-29T16:16:10.375881200Z" />
<EventRecordID>96945</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="380" ThreadID="8756" />
<Channel>Security</Channel>
<Computer>FLARNDT</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data Name="SubjectUserSid">S-1-5-18</Data>
<Data Name="SubjectUserName">FLARNDT$</Data>
<Data Name="SubjectDomainName">WORKGROUP</Data>
<Data Name="SubjectLogonId">0x3e7</Data>
<Data Name="TargetUserSid">S-1-5-18</Data>
<Data Name="TargetUserName">SYSTEM</Data>
<Data Name="TargetDomainName">NT AUTHORITY</Data>
<Data Name="TargetLogonId">0x3e7</Data>
<Data Name="LogonType">5</Data>
<Data Name="LogonProcessName">Advapi </Data>
<Data Name="AuthenticationPackageName">Negotiate</Data>
<Data Name="WorkstationName">
</Data>
<Data Name="LogonGuid">{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}</Data>
<Data Name="TransmittedServices">-</Data>
<Data Name="LmPackageName">-</Data>
<Data Name="KeyLength">0</Data>
<Data Name="ProcessId">0x188</Data>
<Data Name="ProcessName">C:\Windows\System32\services.exe</Data>
<Data Name="IpAddress">-</Data>
<Data Name="IpPort">-</Data>
<Data Name="ImpersonationLevel">%%1833</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>
Source: (StackOverflow)
The FAQ of GTA IV tells me to turn off Windows Event Log in msconfig. This will handle the game more efficiently. And it does!
But turning off windows processes always worries me. So therefore: After playing GTA IV. Should I turn on Windows Event Log again?
If so: What does it do?
If not: Why is it booted by windows in the first place?
Source: (StackOverflow)
I know it has been discussed that it is not possible to start an application from an usb drive upon connection due to limitations of autorun (or autoplay??) in Win 7. But it is possible to create a scheduled task having an event type trigger. Surely there must be an event occurring when the drive -- or any USB device, for that matter -- is connected.
Does anybody have the slightest idea which Event ID should I use? Or at least what type of event? Where can I find the event in event viewer?
Source: (StackOverflow)
Is there a way to find distinct program installs in the Windows Event log? I have tried looking for a specific ID to look for but cannot find one that references installs.
If not, is there an easy way to access installed program data on a Windows machine?
Source: (StackOverflow)
I usually look at the event log to find out at what time I switched on my computer. I look for the entry saying "The Event Log service was started". I use this to record in-out times at office. These days, I usually hibernate my computer instead of shutting it down. Now, the event log does not record an event when the machine is switched on (and rightly so).
How do I find out at what time the computer was switched on when it has booted out of hibernation?
Source: (StackOverflow)
Since switching to Windows 7 for my desktop I've started to get really p***ed off at the length of time it takes to start the event viewer to display the application event log (typically 20-30 secs or disk griding - presumably to load and cache all the events)
I've just noticed that on server 2008 R2 it seems instantaneous.
Is my experience typical? Is there any setting I can tweak to make it fast on Windows 7 as well?
Tim
Source: (StackOverflow)
What I found in the event log is some information that apparently the system was reactivated from standby mode, but I definitely shut the system down regularly. This happens all the time. What is it, some faulty ACPI config?
Source: (StackOverflow)
I know this sounds kind of ridiculous, but someone stole my mouse from my cubicle.. I came to work in the morning and was about to give my mouse a little shove to wake up the monitor, but it wasn't there!
I'm trying to figure out when this happened. I'm running Windows 7 and it's a USB mouse. I checked the event logs, but there doesn't seem to be any logs that might tell me what I'm looking for.
Is there any place where USB unplug events are logged?
Source: (StackOverflow)
I have seen a few people with this problem on forums, but nobody seems to have a solution yet.
Windows says I should restart because I have an update pending (this is 10586). During restart there is no indication that any updated are being installed or have failed to be installed. Once I log back into Windows I am told that there was a problem installing updates.
In the event log I can see:
Installation Failure: Windows failed to install the following update
with error 0x8024200D: Upgrade to Windows 10 Pro, version 1511, 10586.
Does anybody know what is wrong or how to fix this?
Source: (StackOverflow)