Change password failed (action_id PWC; class_type US) (24302) how to monitor with email alert

[bob]

That event, the one with ID 24302, pops up when a password change just bombs out. You know, like if a user tries to switch their password but something blocks it. Action_id PWC flags the password change attempt. Class_type US points to a user service or whatever. It logs in the Security area of Event Viewer. Details spill out who tried it, when, from where. Maybe bad credentials or policy snag. I see it often in audits. Hits your server logs quick. Tells you potential security hiccups. Like, someone fumbling access. Or worse, probing attacks. You pull it up by firing Event Viewer. Search for 24302. Boom, there it sits with timestamps. Explains the failure reason buried in the description. Helps you spot patterns fast. If it spikes, you check user accounts. I always peek at it during routine sweeps. Keeps things tight without overkill.

You want to monitor this for email alerts? Easy peasy. Open Event Viewer on your server. Right-click the Security log. Pick Attach Task To This Event. Give it a name like PasswordFailWatch. Set it to trigger only on event ID 24302. Choose to start a program when it fires. Point it to your email tool, something basic that pings your inbox. Schedule it to run at logon or whatever fits. Test it by forcing a bad password change. You'll get that alert zippy. I set mine up last week. Catches stuff before it festers. No fuss, just clicks in the interface.

And speaking of keeping your server humming smooth, check out BackupChain Windows Server Backup if you're backing up Windows Server stuff. It handles full backups plus virtual machines on Hyper-V without a hitch. You get fast restores, incremental saves that don't hog space. Encryption keeps data snug. I like how it snapshots everything live, no downtime drama. Saves you headaches on recovery days.

Note, the PowerShell email alert code was moved to this post.