What is an API event in a cloud log?¶
An API event is a record that software communicated with a cloud service through an application programming interface.
It may represent a request to read, create, update, delete or manage data.
What this means in practice¶
Applications, scripts, service accounts, mobile apps, sync clients and automated workflows can generate API activity in the background.
Investigators should identify the application or client behind the request and what permission it was using.
Where the event changes or retrieves important data, compare it with token records, application consent, service-account activity and device evidence.
Also establish whether the API response succeeded, failed or returned only partial data.
Provider terminology matters. One event may record the request, another the resulting action.
Where the API request is important, preserve the request path, operation name and response code. These often explain more than a general label such as “accessed” or “updated”.
What this may show¶
An API event may include the account or technical identity, client or application ID, request method, target resource, IP address, time, outcome and correlation identifier.
What this does not show on its own¶
The dangerous assumption is that every API event was caused by a person actively using the service at that moment.
What to do next¶
Check whether the request was interactive, scheduled, automated or triggered by another event.
Do not assume that the named user personally issued the command. The application may have acted under delegated authority granted earlier.
Preserve the event ID, request ID, application ID, resource ID and raw fields where available.
Key takeaway
An API event records software interaction with the cloud service, so identify the application, permission and trigger before attributing the action to a person.