Audit system events

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2, Windows Vista

Audit system events

Description

This security setting determines whether to audit when a user restarts or shuts down the computer or when an event occurs that affects either the system security or the security log.

If you define this policy setting, you can specify whether to audit successes, audit failures, or not audit the event type at all. Success audits generate an audit entry when a system event is executed successfully. Failure audits generate an audit entry when a system event is attempted unsuccessfully.

To set this value to No auditing, in the Properties dialog box for this policy setting, select the Define these policy settings check box and clear the Success and Failure check boxes.

Default:

• Success on domain controllers.

• No auditing on member servers.

Configuring this security setting

You can configure this security setting by opening the appropriate policy and expanding the console tree as such: Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\Audit Policy\

For specific instructions about how to configure auditing policy settings, see Define or modify auditing policy settings for an event category.

For more information about security events, see Security Events on the Microsoft Windows Resource Kits Web site.

For more information, see:

• Auditing Policy

• Auditing Security Events Best practices

• Security Configuration Manager tools