Listen to this Post
SharePoint Online is a powerful collaboration platform, but without proper oversight, insider threats can compromise sensitive data. Monitoring user activity is essential to maintaining security and preventing unauthorized access.
You Should Know:
1. Enable SharePoint Online Auditing
To track user activities, ensure auditing is enabled in your SharePoint Online environment:
Connect-SPOService -Url https://yourtenant-admin.sharepoint.com Set-SPOTenant -AuditLogRetentionPeriod 365
2. Retrieve SharePoint Audit Logs
Extract audit logs to analyze user actions:
Search-UnifiedAuditLog -StartDate (Get-Date).AddDays(-30) -EndDate (Get-Date) -RecordType SharePointFileOperation -ResultSize 5000
3. Monitor Suspicious File Access
Detect unusual file access patterns using PowerShell:
$AuditLogs = Search-UnifiedAuditLog -StartDate (Get-Date).AddDays(-7) -EndDate (Get-Date) -Operations FileAccessed -ResultSize 1000
$AuditLogs | Where-Object { $_.UserId -notlike "admin" } | Format-Table UserId, Operation, CreationDate -AutoSize
4. Set Up Alerts for Critical Activities
Configure alerts for high-risk actions like mass downloads:
New-ProtectionAlert -Name "MassFileDownloadAlert" -Description "Alert for bulk file downloads" -Operation FileDownloaded -Threshold 10 -TimeWindow 60
5. Review SharePoint Site Permissions
Regularly audit permissions to prevent unauthorized access:
Get-SPOSite -Identity "https://yourtenant.sharepoint.com/sites/yoursite" | Get-SPOUser | Select-Object LoginName, IsSiteAdmin, Groups
6. Export Audit Logs for Compliance
Export logs for long-term retention and compliance:
$AuditData = Search-UnifiedAuditLog -StartDate (Get-Date).AddDays(-90) -EndDate (Get-Date) -ResultSize 5000 $AuditData | Export-Csv -Path "C:\AuditLogs\SharePointAudit.csv" -NoTypeInformation
What Undercode Say:
Monitoring SharePoint Online activity is crucial for detecting insider threats and ensuring compliance. By leveraging PowerShell commands and Microsoft 365’s auditing capabilities, organizations can track file access, permission changes, and suspicious behavior. Regularly reviewing audit logs and setting up alerts helps mitigate risks before they escalate.
Expected Output:
- Enabled SharePoint audit logs
- Extracted suspicious file access attempts
- Configured alerts for mass downloads
- Reviewed and adjusted site permissions
- Exported audit logs for compliance reporting
Reference:
AdminDroid SharePoint Activity Monitoring Guide
References:
Reported By: Jake Admindroid – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
