User activity log data
User activity log data refers to records that capture details about user actions and interactions within a software application, system, or platform. This data is typically generated automatically by software systems to monitor, track, and audit user activities for purposes such as system performance analysis, troubleshooting, security monitoring, compliance, and user behavior analysis.
Examples of user activity log data include the following:
- Authentication and login events: Logs capturing user authentication actions like login, logout, or password reset
- Navigation and page views: Logs tracking user navigation patterns and viewed pages in a web or mobile application
- Data creation, modification, and deletion: Logs documenting user actions that create, update, or delete data
- Search and query activities: Logs capturing user search queries or database queries
- System configuration changes: Logs recording user actions that alter system configurations or settings
- File or resource access: Logs tracking user access to files, documents, or other system resources
- Application error or crash reports: Logs documenting errors or crashes triggered by user activities
- API or system interaction logs: Logs tracking user-triggered API calls or interactions with backend systems
User activity logs often contain sensitive information and must be handled in compliance with privacy regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or CCPA. Logs should be anonymized or pseudonymized where necessary. These logs are typically stored in structured formats (for example, JSON, log files, databases) and analyzed using tools like Splunk, ELK (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana), or custom analytics systems. Organizations typically define retention policies for log data to balance storage costs with compliance and operational needs.
Add-ons and apps
Most apps related to a specific software vendor will help facilitate collecting user activity logs. The following is only a small sample. You can find many more on Splunkbase.
- Splunk Add-on for RSA SecurID CAS
- NordPass Activity Logs in Splunk
- Bitwarden Add-on for Splunk
- Bitwarden Event Logs
- Saviynt Events Add-on
- Workplace by OS33
- Cisco Secure eStreamer Client Add-On for Splunk
- SailPoint Identity Security Cloud AuditEvent Add-on
- ObserveIT (Proofpoint) On-Prem App for Splunk
- ObserveIT (Proofpoint) On-Prem Technology Add-On for Splunk
- Solsys API CIM for Splunk
- Splunk Add-on for CyberArk
- Guard Detect Add-on for Splunk
- SnapLogic Monitoring App for Splunk
- Miro App for Splunk
- Workday Add-on for Splunk
- Veritas NetBackup Flex Splunk App
- App for Torq Log Insights