What is lost without normalization?
Consistency, correlation quality, and speed are lost. When different log types describe the same event differently, the team loses clarity.
Technical Guide
FortiGate log normalization
Raw FortiGate logs are not enough on their own. Without normalizing source, destination, service, user, geo-IP, and policy context, reliable correlation becomes difficult.
What should be normalized?
Source and destination IPs, ports, policy IDs, usernames, VPN type, action, device identity, and event class should be mapped into standard fields.
Why it matters
Normalization makes it easier to tie the same session across multiple log types and reduces false-positive alert counts.
Case Study
30-day FortiGate case study
Total events
4.0M+
Normalized fields
120+
Alert reduction
%72
Across 30 days of FortiGate logs, we normalized more than 4 million events and reduced alert volume by 72%. That lowered manual review pressure and improved analyst focus on real threats.