Windows Event ID 4624: An account was successfully logged on
- Applicable version
- Windows Server 2008 R2 and later; Windows 7 and later
- Last reviewed
- 2026-07-21
Quick summary
Windows Security Event ID 4624 records a successful logon and provides the primary host-level record for determining who accessed a system, how they authenticated, and from where.
Technical Metadata
| Event ID | 4624 |
|---|---|
| Provider | Microsoft-Windows-Security-Auditing |
| Channel | Security |
| Level | Information |
| Audit keyword | Audit Success |
| MITRE ATT&CK | TA0001 Initial Access / T1078 Valid Accounts |
| Key fields to watch | New Logon / Account Name, Logon Type, Network Information, Authentication Package / Logon Process |
Trigger Scenarios
Windows generates this event when a logon session is created successfully. It covers local console access, network access, RDP, scheduled tasks, services, and other authentication mechanisms.
Key Fields
New Logon / Account Name
The account associated with the new session. Review the domain, account type, and whether the identity is expected on the target system.
Logon Type
Identifies the session type. Type 3 commonly represents SMB or other network access, Type 10 represents RDP, and Type 2 represents a local interactive session.
Network Information
Workstation Name, Source Network Address, and Source Port identify the client when the logon is remote. These values are useful for lateral-movement timelines.
Authentication Package / Logon Process
Shows the authentication path, such as Kerberos or NTLM. Unexpected NTLM use, unusual logon processes, or a mismatch with normal access patterns can be significant.
Threat Hunting Queries
SecurityEvent
| where EventID == 4624
| project TimeGenerated, Computer, Account, EventData
| order by TimeGenerated desc- Data source
- Microsoft Sentinel SecurityEvent table
- Assumptions
- The Microsoft Sentinel Windows Security Events connector populates SecurityEvent. Apply the event-specific field and correlation guidance on this page after retrieving the base events.
index=wineventlog source="WinEventLog:Security" EventCode=4624
| table _time, host, user, EventCode, Message- Data source
- Splunk Windows Security event data
- Assumptions
- Index, source, and field aliases vary by Splunk deployment and Windows add-on version. Map provider fields from the raw event before implementing event-specific filtering or aggregation.
dataset = microsoft_windows_raw
| filter edr_event_id = 4624- Data source
- Cortex XDR microsoft_windows_raw
- Assumptions
- The relevant Windows event channel is ingested through a Cortex XDR Windows event collection path. Inspect raw provider fields because parsed field names vary by collection path and event provider.
title: Windows Event ID 4624
status: experimental
logsource:
product: windows
service: security
detection:
selection:
EventID: 4624
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Legitimate administrative or system activity
level: informational- Data source
- Sigma Windows Security log source
- Assumptions
- This rule retrieves the event and is not a standalone malicious-behavior detection. Add the field conditions and correlations documented on this page in the destination SIEM.
Documented Values and Codes
| Field | Value | Meaning | Security relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| LogonType | 3 | Network logon, such as access to a shared resource. | It separates network authentication from local console and remote-interactive sessions. Source |
| LogonType | 10 | RemoteInteractive logon, commonly Remote Desktop or Terminal Services. | It isolates successful remote-interactive sessions for RDP investigations. Source |
MITRE ATT&CK Mapping
- T1078Valid Accounts
Detection Notes
T1078 Valid Accounts triage should separate Logon Type 10 RemoteInteractive sessions from Type 3 network logons and compare the source with approved jump hosts and service paths. A Type 10 success immediately after 4625 failures, or a Type 3 session followed by ADMIN$ access in 5140, is more significant than an isolated successful logon; use Logon ID to bind the session to follow-on 4688 activity.
Common False Positives
- Service accounts, scheduled tasks, and management platforms may create large volumes of expected logons.
- Domain controllers and file servers commonly record Type 3 logons during normal application and SMB activity.
- Jump hosts and remote-management tooling can produce legitimate Type 10 logons outside normal business hours.
Related Events
Sample Log
Subject: Security ID: S-1-0-0
New Logon: Security ID: CORP\jsmith
Logon Type: 10
Workstation Name: WS-014
Source Network Address: 10.x.x.x
Authentication Package: KerberosFrequently Asked Questions
What does Windows Event ID 4624 mean?
Event ID 4624 records a successful Windows logon on the destination computer and identifies the account, logon type, authentication process, and available network origin.
Which 4624 logon type indicates RDP?
Logon Type 10 is RemoteInteractive and is commonly associated with Remote Desktop or Terminal Services.
Does Event ID 4624 prove valid-account abuse?
No. It records successful authentication, most of which is legitimate; abuse requires correlation with account expectations, source, logon type, preceding failures, and follow-on activity.
Sources
- 4624: Microsoft Windows security auditing event reference
Microsoft · vendor
- Valid Accounts (T1078)
MITRE ATT&CK · attack
- XDR Collector datasets
Palo Alto Networks · vendor
- Sigma Rules Specification
SigmaHQ · detection rule