Windows 2000 Object Open Auditing Explained

In Microsoft Windows 2000 security monitoring, the Object Open auditing feature tracks whenever a user or process attempts to access a protected system object, such as a file, directory, registry key, or printer. This article explains the primary function of Object Open auditing, details the specific security data it captures, and highlights its importance in detecting unauthorized access and establishing forensic accountability across an enterprise network.

The primary function of Object Open auditing—recorded in the Windows 2000 Security log predominantly as Event ID 560—is to evaluate and log attempts to access securable resources against configured System Access Control Lists (SACLs). When an administrator enables the "Audit object access" group policy and applies auditing rules to a specific object, Windows generates an event every time a thread requests a handle to open that object.

When triggered, an Object Open audit record logs several critical data points essential for security analysts:

  • Subject Identification: The user name, domain, and logon ID of the account that initiated the request.
  • Process Information: The specific process ID and image name (application) executing the operation on behalf of the user.
  • Object Details: The exact name, path, and type of the targeted resource.
  • Access Requests: The specific permissions requested during the operation, such as ReadData, WriteData, AppendData, or Delete.
  • Outcome: Whether the operation succeeded or failed, depending on whether the user's access token matched the object's Discretionary Access Control List (DACL).

From a security monitoring perspective, tracking failed Object Open events helps administrators detect unauthorized reconnaissance, privilege abuse, or policy violations, as repeated failures often indicate an unauthorized user attempting to access restricted resources. Conversely, auditing successful attempts provides a non-repudiation audit trail, allowing administrators to verify who modified, deleted, or inspected confidential information.

Because tracking every file operation can quickly saturate the Windows 2000 event log, the Object Open feature is designed to be selectively targeted. Administrators rely on it primarily to secure high-value targets, such as sensitive business files, critical registry hives, and system configuration directories, balancing detailed threat visibility against log storage and system performance limits.