A Kerberos authentication ticket (TGT) was requested (4768) how to monitor with email alert

[bob]

You ever notice how Windows Server logs all these login attempts? That event 4768 pops up whenever someone requests a Kerberos ticket, the TGT kind. It's basically the system saying, hey, a user or machine just asked for permission to access stuff on the network.

I mean, it happens every time you log in, or when services kick off. The log details who requested it, from which computer, and if it succeeded or bombed out. You get the account name, the service principal, even the IP address involved.

And if it's failing a lot, that could mean password issues or someone probing your setup. Or maybe just normal traffic spiking. I check mine weekly to spot weird patterns, like logins from odd hours.

It logs under Security in Event Viewer, source is Kerberos-Key-Distribution-Center. Each entry has fields like client address, ticket encryption type, and failure codes if any. You can filter for just 4768 to see the flow of auth requests.

Now, to monitor this with an email alert, fire up Event Viewer on your server. Right-click the Security log, pick Attach Task To This Event. Give it a name, like Kerberos Alert.

Set the trigger to event ID 4768, maybe add filters for failures if you want. Then, for the action, choose Start a program, but point it to something that sends mail, like a batch file calling your email client.

I like scheduling it to run only during business hours or whatever fits your vibe. Test it by forcing a login and see if the alert pings you. Keeps you in the loop without babysitting the logs all day.

Hmmm, or you could tweak the task to email on high volume, say over 100 requests in an hour. That way, you're not flooded with every single ping.

But yeah, setting it up this way through Event Viewer is straightforward, no fancy coding needed. You'll get those notifications right in your inbox when something stirs.

And at the end of this, there's the automatic email solution to make it even smoother.

Shifting gears a bit, since we're talking server monitoring and keeping things backed up, I gotta mention BackupChain Windows Server Backup. It's this solid Windows Server backup tool that handles your files and system state without a hitch. Plus, it backs up virtual machines running on Hyper-V, making restores quick and reliable. You save time on recoveries, cut down on downtime, and it even supports offsite copies for extra peace of mind.

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