Azure Monitor

Azure Monitor for Threat Hunting

Azure Monitor is a comprehensive monitoring service provided by Microsoft Azure that offers a unified solution for collecting, analyzing, and acting on telemetry from your cloud and on-premises environments. It enables threat hunters to proactively search for and identify threats within an Azure environment, leveraging advanced data analytics, customizable visualizations, and automated responses to enhance security operations.

Key Features of Azure Monitor for Threat Hunting

  1. Data Collection: Collect telemetry from Azure resources, on-premises environments, and custom sources, including logs, metrics, and activity data.

  2. Log Analytics: Utilize Azure Log Analytics to query and analyze vast amounts of log data using Kusto Query Language (KQL).

  3. Security Integration: Seamlessly integrate with Azure Security Center and Azure Sentinel for advanced threat detection and incident response.

  4. Alerts: Set up sophisticated alerting mechanisms to notify you of suspicious activities and potential threats.

  5. Dashboards and Workbooks: Create customizable and interactive dashboards and workbooks to visualize and drill down into security data.

  6. Automation: Automate threat response actions using Azure Automation and Logic Apps.

How Azure Monitor Supports Threat Hunting

Data Collection and Integration

Azure Monitor consolidates data from a variety of sources, providing a comprehensive view of your security environment:

  • Azure Activity Logs: Capture all control-plane actions, providing a detailed record of management operations.

  • Resource Logs: Collect logs from Azure resources such as virtual machines, databases, and storage accounts to monitor operational and security events.

  • Azure Security Center: Integrate with Azure Security Center to gain insights into vulnerabilities and threat intelligence.

  • Azure Sentinel: Leverage Azure Sentinel, a cloud-native SIEM and SOAR solution, for enhanced threat detection, investigation, and response.

Log Analytics for Threat Hunting

Log Analytics in Azure Monitor allows threat hunters to perform complex queries on collected log data. By using KQL, threat hunters can identify anomalies, investigate incidents, and uncover potential threats.

  • Example Query: Detect unusual login attempts:

    kustoCopy codeSecurityEvent
| where EventID == 4625
| summarize count() by bin(TimeGenerated, 1h), Account
| order by count_ desc

Alerts and Notifications

Set up alerts to be notified of suspicious activities, enabling prompt investigation and response:

  • Create Alert Rules: Define specific conditions for alerts, such as multiple failed login attempts from a single IP address within a short timeframe.

  • Action Groups: Configure action groups to determine the response actions when an alert is triggered, such as sending an email, creating an incident in Azure Sentinel, or executing an automated response.

Dashboards and Workbooks

Visualize and analyze security data using customizable dashboards and workbooks:

  • Dashboards: Provide an overview of key security metrics and alert statuses, helping you quickly identify areas of concern.

  • Workbooks: Use workbooks to create detailed, interactive reports that allow you to drill down into specific data points and conduct in-depth investigations.

    • Example Workbook: Threat Hunting for Suspicious Login Activity:

      • Failed Logins Query:

        SecurityEvent
| where EventID == 4625
| summarize count() by bin(TimeGenerated, 1h), Account, IPAddress

      • Successful Logins Query:

        SecurityEvent
| where EventID == 4624
| summarize count() by bin(TimeGenerated, 1h), Account, IPAddress

      • Visualizations: Use time charts, bar charts, and tables to display the data and identify patterns or anomalies.

Automation

Automate threat response actions to improve efficiency and reduce response time:

  • Logic Apps: Create workflows to automatically respond to detected threats, such as blocking IP addresses or isolating compromised resources.

  • Azure Automation: Use runbooks to automate routine tasks and incident response procedures, ensuring consistent and timely actions.

Microsoft Documentation: Azure Monitor

LogoAzure Monitor documentation - Azure MonitorMicrosoftLearn

Microsoft Documentation: Azure Monitor RBAC Built-In Roles

LogoAzure built-in roles for Monitor - Azure RBACMicrosoftLearn

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