EventID 1149: User Authentication Succeeded

This event, logged to the Microsoft-Windows-TerminalServices-RemoteConnectionManager/Operational channel, is logged when an RDP connection is established.

Despite its name, this event does not indicate a successfully authenticated RDP session has taken place, only that the channel has been established for an RDP attempt to be made.

This event is logged on the destination endpoint.

Analysis Value

UsernameEvidence of Network ActivitySource Identification

Operating System Availability

Major Version	Support	Major Version	Support
Windows 11	✅	Server 2019	✅
Windows 10	✅	Server 2016	✅
Windows 8	✅	Server 2012	✅
Windows 7	✅	Server 2008	✅
Windows Vista	✅	Server 2003	❌
Windows XP	❌

Artifact Location(s)

• %SystemRoot%\System32\Winevt\Logs\Microsoft-Windows-TerminalServices-RemoteConnectionManager%4Operational.evtx

Artifact Interpretation

Field	Interpretation	Reference
UserData/EventXML/Param1	This field logs only the username and domain for the RDP session.	Username
UserData/EventXML/Param3	This field provides the source IP address of an RDP session.	Source Identification
System/Correlation ActivityID	Provides the ActivityID for the RDP session.

Analysis Tips

Correlation by ActivityID

This event logs an ActivityID, available in the XML path System/Correlation ActivityID. This may be used to correlate activity between other events logged that are related to this activity, such as:

EventID 21: Session logon succeeded

EventID 24: Session has been disconnected

This event is logged regardless of success or failure of the RDP session, and must be cross-referenced with other events such as:

EventID 21: Session logon succeeded

EventID 4624: An account was successfully logged on

Example

- <Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
- <System>
  <Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-TerminalServices-RemoteConnectionManager" Guid="{c76baa63-ae81-421c-b425-340b4b24157f}" /> 
  <EventID>1149</EventID> 
  <Version>0</Version> 
  <Level>4</Level> 
  <Task>0</Task> 
  <Opcode>0</Opcode> 
  <Keywords>0x1000000000000000</Keywords> 
  <TimeCreated SystemTime="2023-07-12T12:01:19.3418899Z" /> 
  <EventRecordID>241</EventRecordID> 
  <Correlation ActivityID="{f4206c2f-b0bf-4c54-aad2-c7d2769b0000}" /> 
  <Execution ProcessID="10680" ThreadID="14208" /> 
  <Channel>Microsoft-Windows-TerminalServices-RemoteConnectionManager/Operational</Channel> 
  <Computer>HLPC01</Computer> 
  <Security UserID="S-1-5-20" /> 
  </System>
- <UserData>
- <EventXML xmlns="Event_NS">
  <Param1>john.doe</Param1> 
  <Param2 /> 
  <Param3>192.168.180.57</Param3> 
  </EventXML>
  </UserData>
  </Event>

This example was produced on Windows 10, Version 10.0.19044 Build 19044