ManageEngine ADAudit Plus is a comprehensive Active Directory auditing and reporting solution that helps administrators track and monitor all changes and activities in their Active Directory environment. It provides detailed information on ‘Who, Where, and When’ for activities like Windows logon auditing, file change monitoring, and insider threat detection, enabling administrators to identify desired and undesired actions.

ADAudit Plus assists with audit and compliance requirements by providing a wide range of reports on Active Directory, file server, and NAS changes. This SIEM tool allows configuring custom alerts and compliance reporting based on administrator needs, while its dashboard offers an easy-to-interpret view of the most important events across domains.

Features and Capabilities

Key Features of ADAudit Plus

ADAudit Plus offers a comprehensive suite of features to monitor and audit various aspects of your IT infrastructure, including:

1. Active Directory Auditing

• Tracks changes to Active Directory objects like users, groups, OUs, GPOs, and more
• Monitors user account changes, password resets, and privileged group membership changes
• Audits changes to Group Policy Objects (GPOs) and Active Directory schema
• Provides real-time alerts for critical changes and suspicious activities

2. Azure AD Auditing

• Unified view of on-premises Active Directory and cloud-based Azure AD activities
• Retains audit data for longer periods compared to native Azure AD logs
• Provides comprehensive auditing capabilities beyond native Azure AD tools

3. File Server Auditing

• Tracks file and folder access, modifications, and permission changes
• Supports various file servers, including Windows, NetApp, EMC, Synology, and more
• Detects ransomware attacks by monitoring sudden spikes in file access activity

4. Windows Server Auditing

• Monitors logons, file changes, permission changes, scheduled tasks, and PowerShell activity
• Audits user and group changes, local security policy modifications, and more

5. Workstation Auditing

• Tracks logon/logoff activity and file integrity on Windows workstations
• Monitors employee workstation usage and productivity

6. User Behavior Analytics (UBA)

• Establishes activity patterns and detects anomalies indicating potential insider threats
• Leverages machine learning to identify unusual user behavior

7. Compliance Reporting

• Provides over50 pre-configured reports for regulations like HIPAA, SOX, GDPR, and PCI DSS
• Automates the generation and delivery of compliance reports
• Offers customizable reporting to suit specific organizational needs

8. Real-Time Alerting

• Sends real-time alerts via SMS, email, or SIEM integrations for critical changes
• Configurable alerts based on administrator needs

9. Intuitive Interface and Deployment

• Web-based console for centralized management
• Easy deployment and integration with existing infrastructure

Key Capabilities	Description
Active Directory Monitoring	Tracks changes to AD objects, user accounts, GPOs, and more. Provides real-time alerts and compliance reporting.
Azure AD Auditing	Unified auditing of on-premises AD and cloud-based Azure AD environments. Retains audit data for longer periods.
File Server Auditing	Monitors file and folder access, modifications, and permission changes across various file servers and NAS devices. Detects ransomware attacks.
Windows Server Auditing	Audits logons, file changes, scheduled tasks, PowerShell activity, and local security policy modifications.
Workstation Auditing	Tracks logon/logoff activity, file integrity, and employee productivity on Windows workstations.
User Behavior Analytics (UBA)	Leverages machine learning to establish activity patterns and detect anomalous user behavior and insider threats.
Compliance Reporting	Provides over 250 pre-configured reports for various regulations. Automates report generation and delivery.
Real-Time Alerting	Sends real-time alerts via SMS, email, or SIEM integrations for critical changes and suspicious activities.
Intuitive Interface and Deployment	Web-based console for centralized management. Easy deployment and integration with existing infrastructure.

With its comprehensive feature set, ADAudit Plus provides a unified solution for real-time auditing, monitoring, and compliance reporting across Active Directory, Azure AD, file servers, Windows servers, and workstations.

Active Directory Monitoring

Comprehensive Active Directory Auditing

ADAudit Plus provides comprehensive auditing of all critical changes and activities in your Active Directory environment, enabling you to maintain a complete audit trail for security, compliance, and troubleshooting purposes. Its Active Directory auditing capabilities include:

1. User Account Monitoring: Track changes to user accounts, including account creation, deletion, password resets, and modifications to user properties like display name, email address, and group memberships.
2. Group and Organizational Unit (OU) Auditing: Monitor the creation, deletion, and renaming of Active Directory groups and OUs, as well as changes to their properties and membership.
3. Group Policy Object (GPO) Auditing: Audit changes to GPOs, including modifications to GPO settings, links, and permissions . ADAudit Plus also tracks GPO version changes and rollbacks.
4. Active Directory Schema Changes: Detect and log any modifications to the Active Directory schema, which defines the structure and rules for objects in the directory.
5. Privileged User Monitoring: Keep a close watch on activities performed by privileged users, such as domain administrators, enterprise administrators, and other high-privilege accounts
6. Real-Time Alerts: Receive real-time alerts via email, SMS, or SIEM integrations for critical changes and suspicious activities, enabling you to respond promptly to potential security incidents or policy violations.
7. ADAudit Plus provides a centralized view of all file server and NAS activities, enabling you to quickly identify and investigate any unauthorized or suspicious file operations. This helps maintain data integrity, ensure compliance with data protection regulations, and promptly respond to potential security incidents or data breaches.

Audited Activity	Description
User Account Changes	Tracks account creation, deletion, password resets, and modifications to user properties like display name, email, and group memberships
Group and OU Changes	Monitors the creation, deletion, renaming, and membership changes of Active Directory groups and OUs
GPO Auditing	Audits modifications to GPO settings, links, permissions, versions, and rollbacks
Schema Changes	Detects and logs any modifications to the Active Directory schema
Privileged User Monitoring	Keeps a close watch on activities performed by high-privilege accounts like domain and enterprise administrators
Real-Time Alerts	Sends real-time alerts for critical changes and suspicious activities via email, SMS, or SIEM integrations

File Server and NAS Auditing

Comprehensive File Server and NAS Auditing

ADAudit Plus provides comprehensive auditing capabilities for file servers and Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices, enabling you to track and monitor all file and folder activities, including access, modifications, and permission changes. Its file server auditing capabilities include:

1. File and Folder Access Monitoring: Track who accessed which files and folders, when they accessed them, and what actions they performed (read, write, delete, rename, etc.).
2. File and Folder Modification Auditing: Monitor changes made to files and folders, such as content modifications, attribute changes, and permission alterations.
3. Permission Changes Auditing: Audit changes to file and folder permissions, including who made the changes and when they were made.
4. Ransomware Attack Detection: Detect potential ransomware attacks by monitoring sudden spikes in file access activity, which can indicate unauthorized encryption or modification of files.
5. Support for Various File Servers and NAS Devices: ADAudit Plus supports auditing for a wide range of file servers and NAS devices, including Windows File Servers, NetApp, EMC, Synology, and more.

Audited Activity	Description
File and Folder Access Monitoring	Tracks who accessed which files and folders, when they accessed them, and what actions they performed (read, write, delete, rename, etc.)
File and Folder Modification Auditing	Monitors changes made to files and folders, such as content modifications, attribute changes, and permission alterations
Permission Changes Auditing	Audits changes to file and folder permissions, including who made the changes and when they were made
Ransomware Attack Detection	Supports auditing for a wide range of file servers and NAS devices, including Windows File Servers, NetApp, EMC, Synology, and more

ADAudit Plus’ comprehensive file server and NAS auditing capabilities provide a robust solution for maintaining data integrity, ensuring compliance with data protection regulations, and promptly responding to potential security incidents or data breaches.

Conclusion

In the ever-evolving digital landscape, maintaining a secure and compliant IT infrastructure is paramount. ManageEngine ADAudit Plus emerges as a comprehensive solution, empowering organizations to unlock the full potential of Active Directory auditing, file server monitoring, and user behavior analytics. By providing real-time insights into critical changes, suspicious activities, and compliance violations, ADAudit Plus equips administrators with the necessary tools to proactively mitigate risks and ensure adherence to industry regulations.

With its robust feature set, intuitive interface, and seamless deployment, ADAudit Plus streamlines the auditing process, enabling organizations to stay ahead of potential threats and maintain a secure digital environment. To experience the power of ADAudit Plus, download a free 30-day trial now. Embrace this comprehensive auditing solution and unlock a new level of control, transparency, and peace of mind for your organization’s critical IT assets.

FAQs

1. How do I start ADAudit Plus?
ADAudit Plus can be launched in two different modes: as a service or as an application. To run ADAudit Plus as a service, install it accordingly, which allows it to operate from the system account. To start ADAudit Plus, navigate through Start > All Programs > ADAudit Plus > Start ADAudit Plus Server.

2. How can I reset the admin password in ADAudit Plus?
To reset the default admin password in ADAudit Plus, initiate the command line utility by pressing any key. Once it loads, enter the command “account reset-password -u admin” and hit Enter. This procedure resets the default admin password to “admin”.

3. What does advanced configuration entail in ADAudit Plus?
Advanced configuration in ADAudit Plus enables users to specify and report on various audit actions. It includes setting up filtering rules, which can be used to create new actions or modify existing pre-configured actions. These filters are designed to tailor actions according to specific reporting needs.

4. How do I enable audit for computer account management in ADAudit Plus?
To enable auditing for computer account management, access the “Audit User Account Management” policy by navigating to: Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Advanced Audit Policy Configuration > Audit Policies. Here, select the “Account Management” policy and double-click on “Audit User Account Management”.