What is the primary function of system audit logs?

The primary function of system audit logs is to capture and record activities within a system for various purposes, primarily related to security, compliance, and operational oversight. While improving operational efficiency can be a beneficial outcome of reviewing audit logs, it is not their primary function.

Audit logs serve crucial roles such as documenting user activities and system operations, which assists in ensuring accountability and traceability. They become essential in identifying and validating user actions, verifying changes made to systems, and providing critical data during security assessments and forensic investigations.

By analyzing audit logs, organizations can identify unauthorized access attempts, track anomalies, and assess compliance with policies and regulations. Therefore, the ability to validate user activities and verify system changes are central to the concept of audit logs, which is closely tied to security and risk management objectives.

In summary, while enhancing operational efficiency can occur as a byproduct of analyzing audit logs, the logs are fundamentally designed to fulfill accountability and auditing requirements related to user activities and system integrity.