Common Log Management Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Most organizations know they need to collect and analyze event logs for security, but many struggle with implementing an effective log management strategy. According to a 2024 NSA report, it can take up to 18 months to discover a security incident, with malware dwelling on networks for 70-200 days on average. Yet when incidents occur, security teams often discover their logging practices fall short.

Let's examine the most common mistakes in log management and how to address them.

Mistake #1: Treating All Logs Equally 

While collecting "everything" might seem like the safest approach, it can actually harm your security posture. Without proper prioritization, critical security events get lost in the noise of routine system logs.

The Fix: Prioritize your logging strategy based on risk and value 

Focus first on:

• Authentication systems and identity management
• Critical business applications and databases
• Internet-facing services and remote access systems
• Administrative actions and privileged account usage
• Security tool logs (firewalls, EDR, etc.)

This targeted approach ensures you're capturing the most security-relevant data without drowning in low-value logs.

Mistake #2: Insufficient Log Retention 

Many organizations default to standard 30 or 90-day retention periods, only to discover during incident response that critical historical data is missing. The NSA recommends retaining logs for at least one year to support thorough incident investigations.

The Fix: Implement a risk-based retention strategy that considers:

• Compliance requirements (HIPAA: 6 years, PCI DSS: 1 year, etc.)
• Threat detection needs
• Incident response capabilities
• Storage constraints and costs

Learn more about log retention best practices.

Mistake #3: Poor Log Protection

Attackers often target logs first, attempting to modify or delete them to cover their tracks. If your logs aren't properly secured, you could lose critical evidence of malicious activity.

The Fix: Implement these essential log protection measures:

• Store logs in a separate or segmented network
• Encrypt logs both in transit and at rest
• Restrict access using least privilege principles
• Maintain secure backups of log data
• Use immutable storage where possible

Mistake #4: Manual Log Analysis

Trying to manually review logs is like looking for a needle in a haystack - it's inefficient and prone to missing critical indicators of compromise.

The Fix: Leverage automated analysis through a modern SIEM solution that can:

• Automatically detect anomalous behavior
• Correlate events across multiple log sources
• Provide context for faster investigation
• Generate actionable alerts for security teams

See how Blumira automates log analysis.

Mistake #5: Neglecting Log Quality 

Poor log quality leads to blind spots in your security visibility. Many organizations enable basic logging but miss important details that could help detect sophisticated attacks.

The Fix: Focus on logging quality by:

• Enabling detailed command-line logging
• Capturing PowerShell script block logging
• Recording both successful and failed actions
• Including relevant metadata with each log entry
• Standardizing log formats across sources

The Path Forward 

Effective log management isn't just about collecting data - it's about implementing a strategic approach that balances security needs with operational constraints. Start by addressing these common mistakes, and you'll be better positioned to detect and respond to security incidents.

Looking to improve your logging strategy? Blumira's cloud SIEM platform automates log collection, analysis and retention while providing expert-written detection rules and response playbooks. Try our free edition to see how we can help strengthen your security posture.