DocumentationAEM 6.4Administering Guide

How to Audit User Management Operations in AEM how-to-audit-user-management-operations-in-aem

Last update: Wed May 03 2023 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

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AEM 6.4 has reached the end of extended support and this documentation is no longer updated. For further details, see our technical support periods. Find the supported versions here.

Introduction introduction

AEM has introduced the ability to log permission changes so they can be audited at a later time.

The enhancement allows for the auditing CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) actions on permissions and group assignments of users. More specifically, it will log:

  • A new user getting created
  • A user being added to a group
  • Permission changes of an existing user or group

By default, the entries will be written to the error.log file. To make monitoring easier, it is recommended that they be redirected to a separate log file. More info on how to do this in the paragraph below.

Redirecting the output to a separate log file redirecting-the-output-to-a-separate-log-file

In order to redirect the logging output to a separate log file, you’ll need to create a new Apache Sling Logging Logger configuration. We’ll use useraudit.log as the name of the separate file in the example below.

  1. Go to the Web Console by browsing to https://<serveraddress>:<serverport>/system/console/configMgr

  2. Search for Apache Sling Logging Logger Configuration. Then, press the “+” in the right hand side of the entry to create a new factory configuration.

  3. Create the following configuration:

    • Log Level: Information
    • Log File: logs/useraudit.log
    • Message Pattern: level default
    • Logger: com.adobe.granite.security.user.internal.audit, com.adobe.granite.security.user.internal.servlets.AuthorizableServlet

    In order to enter both loggers into the Logger field, you need to enter the name of the first, then create another field by pressing the “+” button and entering the name of the second logger.

Example output example-output

If configured correctly, the output should look like this:

19.05.2017 15:15:08.933 *INFO* [0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 [1495196108932] POST /libs/granite/security/post/authorizables.html HTTP/1.1] com.adobe.granite.security.user.internal.servlets.AuthorizableServlet Create Group 'group1' operation initiated by User 'admin' (administrator)
19.05.2017 15:15:08.934 *INFO* [0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 [1495196108932] POST /libs/granite/security/post/authorizables.html HTTP/1.1] com.adobe.granite.security.user.internal.audit.AuditAuthorizableAction Group 'group1' was created

19.05.2017 15:16:25.698 *INFO* [0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 [1495196185696] POST /libs/granite/security/post/authorizables.html HTTP/1.1] com.adobe.granite.security.user.internal.servlets.AuthorizableServlet Create User 'user1' operation initiated by User 'admin' (administrator)
19.05.2017 15:16:25.700 *INFO* [0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 [1495196185696] POST /libs/granite/security/post/authorizables.html HTTP/1.1] com.adobe.granite.security.user.internal.audit.AuditAuthorizableAction User 'user1' was created

19.05.2017 15:16:25.728 *INFO* [0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 [1495196185726] POST /home/groups/d/dGf7f7vGrZRLs6HS3AK-.rw.userprops.html HTTP/1.1] com.adobe.granite.security.user.internal.servlets.AuthorizableServlet Edit Membership for Group 'group1' operation initiated by User 'admin' (administrator)
19.05.2017 15:16:25.729 *INFO* [0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 [1495196185726] POST /home/groups/d/dGf7f7vGrZRLs6HS3AK-.rw.userprops.html HTTP/1.1] com.adobe.granite.security.user.internal.audit.AuditGroupAction User 'user1' was added to the group 'group1'

19.05.2017 15:17:29.830 *INFO* [0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 [1495196249828] POST /home/users/5/5dI6iK4HkZmrfTjcLBoI.rw.userprops.html HTTP/1.1] com.adobe.granite.security.user.internal.servlets.AuthorizableServlet Password Change for User 'user2' operation initiated by User 'admin' (administrator)
19.05.2017 15:17:29.832 *INFO* [0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 [1495196249828] POST /home/users/5/5dI6iK4HkZmrfTjcLBoI.rw.userprops.html HTTP/1.1] com.adobe.granite.security.user.internal.audit.AuditAuthorizableAction Password for User 'user2' was changed

19.05.2017 15:17:54.906 *INFO* [0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 [1495196274904] POST /home/users/5/5dI6iK4HkZmrfTjcLBoI.rw.html HTTP/1.1] com.adobe.granite.security.user.internal.servlets.AuthorizableServlet Delete User 'user2' operation initiated by User 'admin' (administrator)
19.05.2017 15:17:54.906 *INFO* [0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 [1495196274904] POST /home/users/5/5dI6iK4HkZmrfTjcLBoI.rw.html HTTP/1.1] com.adobe.granite.security.user.internal.audit.AuditAuthorizableAction User 'user2' was removed

19.05.2017 15:19:11.050 *INFO* [0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 [1495196351049] POST /libs/granite/security/post/authorizables.html HTTP/1.1] com.adobe.granite.security.user.internal.servlets.AuthorizableServlet Create User 'user3' operation initiated by User 'admin' (administrator)
19.05.2017 15:19:11.052 *INFO* [0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 [1495196351049] POST /libs/granite/security/post/authorizables.html HTTP/1.1] com.adobe.granite.security.user.internal.audit.AuditAuthorizableAction User 'user3' was created
19.05.2017 15:19:36.899 *INFO* [0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 [1495196376898] POST /home/groups/d/dGf7f7vGrZRLs6HS3AK-.rw.userprops.html HTTP/1.1] com.adobe.granite.security.user.internal.servlets.AuthorizableServlet Edit Membership for Group 'group1' operation initiated by User 'admin' (administrator)

19.05.2017 15:19:36.916 *INFO* [0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 [1495196376915] POST /home/groups/d/dGf7f7vGrZRLs6HS3AK-.rw.userprops.html HTTP/1.1] com.adobe.granite.security.user.internal.servlets.AuthorizableServlet Edit Membership for Group 'group1' operation initiated by User 'admin' (administrator)
19.05.2017 15:19:36.917 *INFO* [0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 [1495196376915] POST /home/groups/d/dGf7f7vGrZRLs6HS3AK-.rw.userprops.html HTTP/1.1] com.adobe.granite.security.user.internal.audit.AuditGroupAction User 'user1' was removed from the group 'group1'

19.05.2017 15:21:34.419 *INFO* [0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 [1495196494417] POST /home/groups/d/dGf7f7vGrZRLs6HS3AK-.rw.html HTTP/1.1] com.adobe.granite.security.user.internal.servlets.AuthorizableServlet Delete Group 'group1' operation initiated by User 'admin' (administrator)
19.05.2017 15:21:34.419 *INFO* [0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 [1495196494417] POST /home/groups/d/dGf7f7vGrZRLs6HS3AK-.rw.html HTTP/1.1] com.adobe.granite.security.user.internal.audit.AuditAuthorizableAction Group 'group1' was removed

19.05.2017 15:44:10.404 *INFO* [0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 [1495197850401] POST /home/users/3/35XVpVtLRx4a5J9gKrVG.rw.userprops.html HTTP/1.1] com.adobe.granite.security.user.internal.servlets.AuthorizableServlet Password Change for User 'john' operation initiated by User 'john' (not administrator)
19.05.2017 15:44:10.405 *INFO* [0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 [1495197850401] POST /home/users/3/35XVpVtLRx4a5J9gKrVG.rw.userprops.html HTTP/1.1] com.adobe.granite.security.user.internal.audit.AuditAuthorizableAction Password for User 'john' was changed

Classic UI

In the Classic UI, information about CRUD operations recorded in the audit log relating to adding and deleting users is limited to the ID of the user affected and when the changed happened.

For example:

10.05.2019 18:01:09.123 INFO [0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 [1557491469096] POST /libs/cq/security/authorizables/POST HTTP/1.1] com.adobe.granite.security.user.internal.audit.AuditAuthorizableAction User 'test' was created
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