How to Enable File Auditing in Windows Server 2016?

Windows Server 2016 is a powerful and versatile platform for managing and hosting applications, websites, and services. It also provides a way to ensure the security of your data by enabling file auditing. This feature allows you to audit the access and changes to files and folders, giving you peace of mind that your data is secure. In this article, we’ll discuss how to enable file auditing in Windows Server 2016, and how to use it to better manage your data.

What is File Auditing in Windows Server 2016?

File auditing is an important security feature in Windows Server 2016 that records a detailed log of all file access attempts on a server. This feature can be used to track any unauthorized access to files and folders, as well as to identify any attempts to delete, modify, or copy sensitive data. By enabling file auditing in Windows Server 2016, administrators can better protect their networks and data from malicious actors.

File auditing is enabled on a per-server basis, meaning that all file access attempts are tracked and logged regardless of the user account used to access the files. Additionally, the audit log is stored in a secure, centralized location, allowing administrators to quickly identify any suspicious activities.

How to Enable File Auditing in Windows Server 2016

The first step in enabling file auditing in Windows Server 2016 is to open the Local Security Policy Editor. To do this, open the Start menu and search for “Local Security Policy”. Once the Local Security Policy Editor is open, navigate to “Local Policies” > “Audit Policy”.

Once in the Audit Policy section, select “Audit Object Access” and then click “Edit”. This will open the Audit Object Access Properties window. In this window, select the “Success” and “Failure” options and then click “OK”.

Configuring File Auditing

The next step is to configure file auditing in Windows Server 2016. To do this, navigate to the folder or file you wish to audit and right-click on it. Select “Properties” and then open the “Security” tab. In the Security tab, select “Advanced” and then click the “Auditing” tab.

Once in the Auditing tab, click “Add” and select the user or group you want to audit. Select the “Read” option to track read attempts, or the “Write” option to track write attempts. Finally, select the “Audit” option and then click “OK”.

Viewing File Auditing Logs

Once file auditing has been enabled in Windows Server 2016, the audit logs can be viewed by opening the Event Viewer. To open the Event Viewer, open the Start Menu and search for “Event Viewer”. Once the Event Viewer is open, navigate to the “Security” log.

In the Security log, all file access attempts will be logged with detailed information about the user account, the time of the access attempt, and the type of access (read or write). This information can be used to identify any unauthorized access attempts or suspicious activities on the server.

Managing File Auditing Settings

In addition to viewing the audit logs, administrators can also manage the audit settings for each file or folder. To do this, open the Properties window for the file or folder and open the “Security” tab. Select the “Advanced” button and then open the “Auditing” tab.

In the Auditing tab, administrators can add or remove users and groups from the audit log, as well as change the type of access (read or write) they are tracking. Additionally, they can enable or disable the auditing of specific types of access attempts, such as delete or modify attempts.

Conclusion

Enabling file auditing in Windows Server 2016 is a simple process that can help administrators protect their networks and data from malicious actors. By configuring the file audit settings and viewing the audit logs, administrators can quickly identify any suspicious activities and take the necessary steps to protect their networks and data.

Few Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is File Auditing?

File auditing is a process of tracking, recording and logging changes to files and folders in a system. This helps administrators to identify who accessed or modified a file or folder, when it was done, and what changes were made. In Windows Server 2016, file auditing can be enabled to provide additional security and compliance requirements.

Q2. What are the different types of file auditing?

In Windows Server 2016, there are three different types of file auditing available: Success audits, Failure audits and Detailed tracking. Success audits record successful attempts to access a file or folder, such as when an administrator successfully reads a file. Failure audits record unsuccessful attempts to access a file or folder, such as when an administrator tries to modify a file but is denied access. Detailed tracking records detailed information about each access attempt, such as the username, the time of the access attempt and the type of access (read, write, etc.).

Q3. How do I enable File Auditing in Windows Server 2016?

Enabling file auditing in Windows Server 2016 is a straightforward process. First, open the Local Group Policy Editor and navigate to Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > Audit Policy. Here, you can enable the desired audit policies (Success Audits, Failure Audits or Detailed Tracking) by right-clicking on each policy and selecting the “Properties” option. Finally, select the “Define these policy settings” option and click “OK”.

Q4. How do I set up File Auditing for specific files and folders?

Once File Auditing has been enabled in Windows Server 2016, it can be configured to monitor specific files and folders. Right-click on the desired file or folder and select “Properties”. Then, navigate to the “Security” tab and select the “Advanced” option. Here, you can access the “Auditing” tab, where you can select the users and groups to monitor, as well as the type of access to audit (read, write, etc.).

Q5. How do I view the File Auditing logs?

Once File Auditing has been enabled and configured in Windows Server 2016, the audit logs can be viewed in Event Viewer. First, open the Event Viewer and navigate to Windows Logs > Security. Here, the audit logs for the specified files and folders will be listed. Additionally, you can use the “Filter Current Log” option to limit the displayed logs to those related to file auditing.

Q6. Is File Auditing a secure process?

File Auditing is a secure process as it does not store any sensitive data. It simply records information about access attempts and the changes that were made to the files and folders. Additionally, the audit logs are stored locally and are not accessible to unauthorized users.

Enable File and Folder Access Auditing in Windows Server 2019

Enabling file auditing in Windows Server 2016 is an invaluable tool to ensure data security and regulation compliance. With the right configuration, organizations can ensure that all operations that involve the modification of files are tracked and recorded. This can help with troubleshooting, compliance, and data security. With a few steps and the right configuration, Windows Server 2016 can be enabled to provide comprehensive file auditing capabilities for all organizations, large and small.