Event ID 4624 is a Windows Security log event generated every time a user successfully logs on to a Windows system. Unlike Event ID 4625, this one isn’t about failed tries; it’s about legitimate access—at least, on the surface. In these records, you’ll find details like the username, domain, login method, and source IP. It’s basically a record of who crossed over into your environment and when.
For most organizations, this is a daily thing: employees logging in to start their work, administrators accessing servers to run updates, and systems authenticating with one another to keep services humming.
On its own, it’s exactly what you’d expect in a normal workday.
Event ID 4624 logs seem like proof that everything is working like it should. But in some cases, these events can mean the opposite…
"Windows Event IDs, like all interesting datapoints, need to be put in conversation with each other for the security value to become truly apparent. A login fail with a 4625 Event IDs is uninspiring. A series of 4625 login fails is interesting, but a series of 4625s for one public IP that eventually give way to an event ID 4624 that marks a successful authentication? Now that is absolutely fascinating - a successful brute force attack. Now you can ask a human to put that data in conversation together in their head, but that would take a while, and brute forces can be extremely unforgiving in their speed. At Huntress, we've perfected the methodologies to track and punish threat actors who gain their footholds, and one of the ways we do this is by putting Event IDs in conversation with each other for lethal, defensive impact." states Dray Agha, Senior Manager, Security Operations.
Think about these factors to decide what’s normal and what’s not:
To reduce the risk of cybercriminals slipping in through “legitimate” logons, follow these best practices:
Digging through Event ID 4624 logs (and all your other security data) can feel like trying to hear a whisper at a concert. Frustrating, right? That’s where Huntress comes in. Let us do the heavy lifting so you can focus on keeping your systems secure.
Our managed security solutions continuously monitor your environment, interpret suspicious activities, and help separate run-of-the-mill logons from “this should not be happening” scenarios—all while you remain focused on running your business. Huntress Managed SIEM and Managed EDR cut through the noise and only give you what matters most with the context you need to move forward.
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