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Sysmon records selected Windows activity as structured events in the Windows Event Log. Depending on the Sysmon version and its active configuration, those events can cover process creation and command lines, image and driver loads, file and registry activity, DNS queries, and network connections. Sysmon supplies telemetry; it does not decide whether behavior is malicious, raise alerts, or block it.
Where Sysmon records events
Sysmon runs as a Windows service with a device driver and logs activity to the Sysmon Operational event channel. In Event Viewer, open Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > Sysmon > Operational. Microsoft also documents early-boot event capture and ways to collect events centrally, including Windows Event Collection, SIEM agents, and cloud ingestion pipelines. Microsoft Sysmon overview Microsoft deployment guidance
What Sysmon can record
The exact event types and fields depend on the installed version and its configuration. Microsoft’s event catalogue and configuration schema are the references for what a particular deployment supports.
- Processes: process creation, command lines for current and parent processes, image-file hashes, and process and session identifiers useful for correlation.
- Loaded code and drivers: driver and DLL loading.
- Disk and file activity: raw disk or volume reads, file creation and deletion, and changes to file creation time.
- Registry and system activity: registry changes, named pipes, WMI registrations, process access, and Sysmon configuration changes.
- Network-related activity: DNS queries and, when enabled, network connections.
These are coverage areas, not a promise that every event will appear in every log. Consult the event catalogue and configuration schema for the version in use.
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What Sysmon does not guarantee you will see
Sysmon is not a complete audit trail of every action on a Windows device. Its configuration determines which supported event classes are recorded and how matching events are filtered. Include and exclude rules can deliberately suppress events, while some event types are noisy enough that collecting everything may be impractical. A missing event therefore does not, on its own, prove that the action did not happen. Verify the Sysmon version, enabled event types, and filters before drawing that conclusion. Microsoft configuration guidance Microsoft event review and tuning guidance
What Sysmon does not do with those events
Sysmon observes and records activity; it does not interpret an event as benign or malicious. An event is evidence that an action was observed, not a verdict about intent. Understanding its significance generally requires correlating it with other events and context over time.
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Sysmon also does not analyze its output, generate alerts, or prevent the activity it records. For centralized visibility or investigation, forward the events to a collection and analysis workflow such as Windows Event Collection, a SIEM agent, or a cloud ingestion pipeline. Microsoft Sysmon overview Microsoft deployment guidance
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to assess a Sysmon log or deployment
When deciding whether a deployment can answer a particular monitoring question, check these factors together:
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- Version and schema: confirm the Windows and Sysmon versions, then check which event types and fields that version supports.
- Enabled events and fields: inspect the active configuration to see what is collected.
- Filters: review include and exclude rules for the activity you expect to find.
- Volume and operational impact: consider whether the chosen coverage produces a manageable event stream.
- Collection destination: establish whether events are viewed locally or forwarded for centralized analysis.
Microsoft provides version-aware configuration documentation and guidance for reviewing and tuning events.
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