Auditing has become an essential component of the enterprise environment, including the Microsoft cloud, as organizations face increasing challenges related to cybersecurity and compliance. With the expanding use of cloud services, IT staff must remain vigilant to detect unauthorized access to sensitive data and unusual login activity. Microsoft Purview Audit is a valuable tool for monitoring Microsoft cloud services, such as Microsoft Entra ID and Exchange Online, to track user and administrator actions as well as potential threats.
Microsoft Purview Audit, a service included with every Microsoft 365 subscription, provides a comprehensive record of operations within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Admins can leverage these logs for auditing, forensic analysis, compliance, and legal purposes. By uncovering the origins of events within the environment, Purview Audit helps identify potentially malicious activities, actions outside of normal duties, or policy violations.
The extensive data collected by Microsoft Purview Audit includes a wide range of user and administrator activities, such as adding users to groups, creating tabs in Microsoft Teams, responding to forms, and managing security policies. The service tracks activities across various Microsoft 365 services, including Microsoft Entra ID, eDiscovery, Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive, Defender, Power Platform, and Teams.
There are two tiers of Purview Audit: Standard and Premium. While Standard is included in all Microsoft 365 tenants with appropriate licensing, Premium requires higher levels of compliance licensing. Premium offers additional benefits such as extended audit log retention, automated retention policies, increased API call bandwidth, and intelligent insights for improved visibility in Exchange Online and SharePoint Online.
Following the Storm-0558 hacking incident and customer feedback, Microsoft extended the log retention period from 90 to 180 days for Purview Audit Standard. However, it is important to note that the capabilities of Purview Audit are continually evolving, and there may be limitations to its visibility based on functionality or version.
Utilizing Purview Audit for mailbox auditing involves running commands in Exchange Online PowerShell to check the status of the audit log ingestion. Admins can investigate email-related scenarios by searching logs through the Purview portal or compliance portal to identify suspicious activities, determine the origin of emails, and analyze user actions.
Learning how to effectively use Purview Audit requires time and familiarity with the available data types and search capabilities. By leveraging the insights provided by Purview Audit, organizations can better understand user actions, detect anomalies, and conduct thorough investigations when necessary.
In conclusion, Microsoft Purview Audit serves as a crucial tool for maintaining security and compliance within the Microsoft cloud environment. Admins can leverage its capabilities to monitor user activities, detect potential threats, and ensure regulatory adherence, ultimately enhancing the overall security posture of the organization.