Introduction
On Day 9 of the 30-day SOC Analyst Challenge, I focused on installing and configuring Sysmon on my Windows Server. Sysmon, a tool from Microsoft’s Sysinternals suite, is crucial for enhancing endpoint visibility by logging detailed system activity. This task involved setting up Sysmon, applying a popular configuration file, and verifying that it was capturing events correctly.
Step-by-Step Process
Access Windows Server:
I started by connecting to my Windows Server via Remote Desktop. This allowed me to perform the installation directly on the server.
Download Sysmon:
I opened Edge on the Windows Server and searched for “Sysmon download.” I selected the download link from Microsoft Learn.
Extract Sysmon Files:
After downloading, I navigated to the Downloads folder, right-clicked the Sysmon zip file, and selected “Extract All.”
Download Sysmon Configuration File:
I searched for “Olaf’s Sysmon configuration” on GitHub and downloaded the sysmonconfig.xml file.
Open PowerShell
I ran PowerShell as an administrator to start the installation. I changed the directory to where Sysmon was extracted using:
CD path\to\Sysmon\directory
Verify Services and Event Viewer:
Before installation, I checked the Services and Event Viewer to confirm that Sysmon was not yet installed. I used:
services.msc
Install Sysmon
I ran Sysmon with the configuration file using:
.\sysmon64.exe -i sysmonconfig.xml
Verify Installation
After installation, I refreshed the Services list and confirmed Sysmon was running. I opened the Event Viewer to check for Sysmon logs under “Applications and Services Logs” -> “Microsoft” -> “Windows” -> “Sysmon” -> “Operational.”
Conclusion
By completing the Sysmon setup and configuration on my Windows Server, I have enhanced my system’s ability to capture detailed logs of critical events. This is a key step toward building a robust monitoring environment. Moving forward, I’ll explore how to integrate these logs into my security tools for more comprehensive analysis and detection. This process has deepened my understanding of endpoint monitoring and laid the foundation for more advanced SOC capabilities.