Cybersecurity and the Importance of Log Files

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By learning how to use these tools, digital security experts can keep data secure

Most people don’t think about what goes on at the backend of the tech devices they use daily. The moment computer systems and applications focused on easier and more “user friendly” experiences, most users gladly adopted an “out of sight, out of mind” mentality.

However, for those tasked with cybersecurity, keeping tabs on the backend is crucial to maintaining that easy, safe and effortless user experience. One of the critically important ways cybersecurity analysts track operations—including detecting suspicious activity—is through log files.

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What are log files?

At their most basic, log files are documents that store detailed data about system activity. They reveal information about system operations, running applications and other activities. They can track events, identify errors, log warnings and follow user activities. Through log files, developers and system administrators can identify critical system issues, such as when hardware malfunctions or software crashes. They can monitor performance, identify potential problems and create more efficiently run systems.

In the era of cloud computing, log files are crucial for cybersecurity. They provide detailed system activity records that are essential for monitoring and securing cloud data.

In the world of cybersecurity protection, log files provide security information about unauthorized login or access attempts. In other words, what happened and when it happened. For cyber sleuths, this chronological record provides information on everything that led to the incident. With this information, cybersecurity professionals can identify and fix security glitches and minimize future risks.

Why are log files important?

Log files are useful in post-error investigations. By using log files, a security analyst or forensic investigator can determine the causes of an error or security breach. Basically, it’s a digital trail that tracks login history. While several unsuccessful login attempts may put a security team on high alert, log files can reveal whether it was simply a colleague struggling to remember a password or, more alarmingly, a concentrated attack and attempted breach by outside forces.

Log files also can help cybersecurity teams adhere to data privacy and security standards. Detailed logs can serve as a record that regulatory requirements are being met.

As a cybersecurity administrator, you can use log files to detect suspicious behavior, identify threats, monitor system activity, investigate security incidents and gain a better perspective on how a system is being used. It’s a way to proactively address threats and counter malicious activity before it causes harm to data or systems.

Log files, ultimately, help to determine the best security infrastructure for your systems network. For instance, if numerous attempts to breach your network security are recorded in the log files, it’s an indication that you require a highly secure infrastructure.

How can log files keep data safe?

Log files aid cybersecurity experts by:

  • Detecting Suspicious Activity: Tracking events, errors and user actions to identify unauthorized access and security glitches
  • Investigating Security Incidents: Providing a digital trail for forensic analysis and for determining breach causes
  • Ensuring Compliance: Demonstrating adherence to data privacy and security standards
  • Proactively Addressing Threats: Enabling early detection and mitigation of malicious activity
  • Informing Security Infrastructure Needs: Revealing attack patterns to guide security measure implementation

Careers in Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is increasingly becoming a vital need for all industries, and there are numerous career opportunities across many professional fields.

The work of computer security professionals is dynamic and exciting. To excel in this industry, you’ll need solid training in information technology teamed with analytical capabilities. Cybersecurity personnel must possess the skills and knowledge to detect and respond to threats efficiently.

Some of the common careers in cybersecurity include computer network architects, which earn on average about $130,000 a year and for which job growth is expected to rise 13% over the next 10 years. You can become an information security analyst, which is a career in demand. The annual average salary is about $125,000 and employment opportunities are expected to grow 33% in the next decade. Information systems managers will experience a 17% rise in employment. The average salary in 2023 was about $171,000.

Prepare for a Career in Cybersecurity with a Sacred Heart Education

At SHU, there are several programs that can prepare you for a career as a cybersecurity analyst. You can earn a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, as well as a master’s degree or graduate certificate. You can also explore Sacred Heart’s dual degree programs, which allow you to team cybersecurity with another undergraduate major, or you can minor in cybersecurity.

To learn more about undergraduate and dual degree programs, you can visit SHU’s undergraduate admissions webpage or call 203-371-7880. If you are interested in master’s degree and certificate offerings, you may schedule a meeting with Ed Nassr, reach out to nassre@sacredheart.edu or call 203-396-6877.

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