Security event logs can provide valuable insights into the behavior and performance of applications, users, devices, and services. They can also help detect and respond to security incidents, such as unauthorized access, data breaches, malware infections, or configuration changes.

Security event logging, reviewing, and alerting is the process of recording events that occur within an information system to detect and respond to security incidents. It provides a detailed record of activities, helps in identifying security breaches or unauthorized access, and aids in forensic investigations to understand the sequence of events.

Security event logs can provide valuable insights into the behavior and performance of applications. They can also help detect and respond to security incidents, such as unauthorized access, data breaches, malware infections, or configuration changes. It requires careful planning, implementation, and management of the logging infrastructure, policies, and procedures.

Security event logging helps monitor and improve the quality and security of apps. By collecting and analyzing security event logs, app developers can identify and troubleshoot errors, bugs, or failures, track and measure usage and performance, and detect and prevent malicious or anomalous activities.

Microsoft 365 Certification validates security event logging best practices

To help app developers implement security event logging effectively and efficiently, Microsoft 365 Certification provides a set of controls and best practices that cover the entire lifecycle of security event logging. Certification validates that services and apps have implemented comprehensive security event logging controls.

These controls include a documented logging policy that defines the scope, objectives, roles, and responsibilities of security event logging. The services or apps have a consistent and appropriate configuration of logging sources, levels, formats, and destinations. Additionally, a secure and reliable storage system for log data ensures its availability, integrity, confidentiality, and retention.

Certification shows that logging access is controlled and auditable, restricting and tracking authorized users and actions. Robust and scalable analysis tools enable detection, investigation, and reporting of security events and incidents. Finally, a regular and systematic review process evaluates the effectiveness and efficiency of security event logging, identifying areas for improvement.

Additionally, this control set is automated using ACAT, The App Compliance Automation Tool. ACAT is a service within the Azure portal designed to ease the path to compliance for applications using Microsoft 365 customer data and published through Partner Center. ACAT also allows continuous compliance monitoring with customized daily reports.

By following these security event logging, reporting, and alerting controls, app developers can ensure that their apps are secure, compliant, and transparent.

Next steps

To learn more on how Microsoft 365 Certification validates event logging controls are in place for your application, visit the account management evidence requirements.

To start certification, go to the Microsoft Partner Center dashboard, select an app from Marketplace offers overview, and select App Compliance.