Salesforce has released a new forensic investigation guide designed to help companies handle cyber incidents inside their Salesforce systems. The move comes after a rise in online threats that left many organizations questioning how to detect and respond to unusual activity.
The guide is built to be simple yet powerful. It breaks down the most important steps into three clear areas: activity logs, user permissions, and backup data. With this framework, businesses can answer urgent questions such as “What did this user do?” or “What information was affected?”
Salesforce notes that no two security incidents are exactly the same. But by following these best practices, companies can begin their investigations in a structured way instead of scrambling after a problem appears.
Tracking Activity and Permissions
One of the first tools highlighted in the guide is the set of activity logs. These records show who did what, when, and how. For example, Login History can point out strange sign-in patterns, while the Setup Audit Trail highlights changes to the system by administrators.
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Companies that use Salesforce Shield gain even deeper visibility. With Event Monitoring, they can see details about API calls, file downloads, or large report exports. Businesses that rely on B2C Commerce Cloud also benefit from shopping logs that track what customers and users are doing inside digital stores.
The second area is all about user permissions. Understanding what a person’s account can do is crucial to measuring possible damage. Salesforce offers a tool called “Who Sees What Explorer” inside its Security Center. This shows Profiles, Permission Sets, Sharing Rules, and Role Hierarchies in one easy-to-read place.
With this tool, administrators can check if someone had the power to export sensitive data or make system changes. Fields marked with red icons signal areas of special concern, making it easier to spot risks quickly.
Using Backups and Real-Time Alerts
The third pillar in the new guide is backup data. By comparing snapshots of data before, during, and after an incident, investigators can see what was deleted or changed without permission. Salesforce encourages the use of third-party backup tools that support this comparison so companies can return to a safe version of their data if needed.
The guide also digs into advanced monitoring methods. Real-Time Event Monitoring, or RTEM, keeps track of critical activity for up to six months. It also comes with Threat Detection alerts powered by machine learning. This means suspicious actions like mass data exports or strange user behavior can be spotted quickly.
For analysis, Salesforce points to two data sources: Event Log Objects (ELO) and Event Log Files (ELF). Both offer different levels of detail and speed, giving businesses flexibility in how they investigate incidents. Logs can also be sent to external monitoring systems so teams can establish a clear baseline of “normal” behavior and detect unusual activity faster.
To help organizations respond instantly, the forensic guide stresses the use of Enhanced Transaction Security policies. These rules can block risky moves such as exporting sensitive reports, or they can trigger alerts and automated actions like opening a case or sending a Slack message to the security team.
In one example, if a guest account suddenly tries to access a digital experience site, the system can block that attempt, capture the IP address, and notify administrators right away.
By putting emphasis on least privilege, log monitoring, and real-time response, Salesforce’s guide delivers a strong starting point for companies worried about cyber threats. It gives administrators the tools to minimize damage, recover faster, and meet compliance needs without confusion.
