How to trace Windows account lockout and password failure events back to the source (without extra tools)

  1. Investigate the 4625 (Login Failure) or 4740 (Account Lockout) event itself via a SIEM or in the application EventViewer.
    • Press Windows Key + R, type eventvwr, and press Enter
    • In Event Viewer, navigate to Windows Logs > Security
    • Look for information about the source such as “Calling computer”, “Workstation Name”, or “Source Network Address”


  2. Take note of a general time range of the login failures. Use one of the fields above and filter with your SIEM or Firewall logs using a time filter around the time of the events – ideally your SIEM with logs including host based running processes and/or Sysmon logs.
  3. Then take the same search and add filters for one of the source fields above. Review the resulting logs. You should be filtering on time and a source field from above. Be on the look out for running processes.

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