Tutorial / Cram Notes
Microsoft Defender for Servers is an advanced security management feature of Azure Security Center that provides threat protection for your Windows and Linux machines. To configure Microsoft Defender for Servers for your Azure environment, follow these steps:
Step 1: Enable Microsoft Defender for Servers
- Open Azure Security Center in the Azure portal.
- Go to the “Pricing & settings” page from the Security Center’s main menu.
- Select the subscription or the management group that you want to enable Defender for.
- In the settings page, under the “Defender plans”, find “Defender for Servers”.
- Enable “Defender for Servers” by toggling the switch to “On”.
- Once enabled, Microsoft Defender for Servers becomes active within a few minutes, providing a range of protections for your VMs immediately.
Step 2: Configure Security Policy
- In Azure Security Center, go to “Security policy”.
- Choose the subscription or resource group for which you want to configure the security policies.
- Under the “Policy settings”, modify and configure the “Defender for Servers” specific settings as per your organizational requirements.
- Save your changes to apply the new security configurations.
Step 3: Install the Microsoft Monitoring Agent
- Navigate to “Log Analytics workspaces” in the Azure portal.
- Identify or create a workspace where you want to collect data from your servers.
- Select the workspace and under “Agent management”, find the agent download files and keys that you’ll use to connect your servers to the workspace.
- Download the appropriate MMA for your server’s operating system.
- Install the agent and configure it using the workspace ID and key from the Log Analytics workspace.
Step 4: Configure Data Collection
- In the Azure portal, go to “Log Analytics workspaces”.
- Select the workspace you are using for Defender for Servers.
- Under “Advanced settings”, select “Data” and then “Windows Servers” or “Linux Servers”, depending on your setup.
- Choose the necessary performance counters, Windows Event logs, or Linux logs to collect.
Step 5: Enable Workload Protections
- Under “Defender for Servers settings”, locate and enable additional protections, like Just-In-Time (JIT) VM access, Adaptive Application Controls, and File Integrity Monitoring.
- Configure the settings for each of these features according to your security needs.
Step 6: Review and Respond to Security Alerts
- In Azure Security Center, go to the “Security alerts” section to view and manage the triggered alerts.
- Investigate each alert to understand the nature of the potential threats and determine the appropriate actions.
- Use Azure Security Center’s recommendations to remediate vulnerabilities and improve your security posture.
Step 7: Monitor Security Posture
- The “Security Center” dashboard provides an overview of the health and security status of your resources.
- Check the “Regulatory compliance dashboard” to see how well your resources align with compliance standards.
- Use the “Secure Score” in Security Center to benchmark and improve your security posture over time.
By following these steps, you can effectively manage and improve the security of your servers with Microsoft Defender for Servers. Remember, security is an ongoing process, and continuous monitoring, regular reassessments, and staying abreast of evolving threats and new security features in Azure Security Center are essential to maintaining a strong defensive posture.
Practice Test with Explanation
True or False: Microsoft Defender for Servers automatically includes vulnerability assessment without the need for additional configuration.
- False
Microsoft Defender for Servers integrates with vulnerability assessment solutions, like Qualys, but it requires configuration and, in some cases, might need a separate license.
Microsoft Defender for Servers leverages which of the following for enhanced security?
- A) Azure Security Center
- B) Azure Active Directory
- C) Azure Defender
- D) Azure Policy
Answer: C) Azure Defender
Microsoft Defender for Servers is a part of Azure Defender, offering integrated security for virtual machines and other server resources.
Which service is primarily used to configure security policies for Microsoft Defender for Servers?
- A) Azure Defender
- B) Azure Security Center
- C) Azure Policy
- D) Azure Log Analytics
Answer: B) Azure Security Center
Azure Security Center is used to set and manage security policies, including those for Microsoft Defender for Servers.
True or False: Microsoft Defender for Servers Plan 2 is required to enable automatic onboarding for Azure virtual machines.
- False
Automatic onboarding for Azure virtual machines is available with Microsoft Defender for Servers Plan 1 as well.
Microsoft Defender for Servers can protect which of the following?
- A) Virtual machines only in Azure
- B) Servers in on-premises datacenters only
- C) Both Azure and non-Azure servers
- D) Only servers in Azure Government Cloud
Answer: C) Both Azure and non-Azure servers
Microsoft Defender for Servers is designed to provide security for servers both in Azure and in non-Azure environments, including on-premises servers.
True or False: Microsoft Defender for Servers requires manual installation of the Microsoft Monitoring Agent on each server it protects.
- False
The Microsoft Monitoring Agent is automatically installed and configured on Azure VMs when Microsoft Defender for Servers is enabled, but it may require manual installation on non-Azure servers.
Which of the following features is available in Microsoft Defender for Servers Plan 2 but not in Plan 1?
- A) Security alerts
- B) Just-in-time VM access
- C) File integrity monitoring
- D) Network firewall integration
Answer: C) File integrity monitoring
File integrity monitoring is an advanced threat detection capability available in Microsoft Defender for Servers Plan 2 that is not included in Plan
True or False: With Microsoft Defender for Servers, you can enable adaptive application controls to whitelist allowed software and block unwanted applications.
- True
Microsoft Defender for Servers allows you to configure adaptive application controls to create allowlists for applications that can run on the servers, helping to prevent malicious software executions.
To leverage threat protection on a non-Azure server, you must:
- A) Connect the server to Azure Security Center using the Azure Arc service
- B) Purchase an additional license for non-Azure servers
- C) Use the Microsoft Monitoring Agent to connect the server directly to Azure Defender
- D) Enable a special setting in the Azure Security Center
Answer: C) Use the Microsoft Monitoring Agent to connect the server directly to Azure Defender
The Microsoft Monitoring Agent connects non-Azure servers to Azure Defender for cloud-based threat protection and management.
True or False: Just-in-time VM access feature is available to all users of Microsoft Defender for Servers by default and does not require Azure Defender Plan
- False
Just-in-time VM access is part of the Azure Defender Plan 2 feature set, providing controlled access to virtual machines to reduce exposure to attacks, and it is not available by default in the basic version.
What must be enabled on a virtual machine to collect security data in Microsoft Defender for Servers Plan 2?
- A) VM diagnostics settings
- B) Azure Monitor
- C) Azure Log Analytics agent
- D) Azure Application Insights
Answer: C) Azure Log Analytics agent
The Azure Log Analytics agent, previously known as the Microsoft Monitoring Agent, must be enabled on virtual machines to collect and send security data to Azure Defender for analysis and threat detection.
True or False: Microsoft Defender for Servers supports integration with third-party security solutions for an improved security posture.
- True
Microsoft Defender for Servers allows integration with third-party security solutions, enabling a more robust and comprehensive security posture through the use of partner connectors available in Azure Security Center.
Interview Questions
What is Microsoft Defender for Servers?
Microsoft Defender for Servers is a cloud-powered endpoint protection solution designed to defend Windows Servers against known and unknown cyber threats.
What is the primary function of Microsoft Defender for Servers?
The primary function of Microsoft Defender for Servers is endpoint protection. It uses behavioral analysis, machine learning, and heuristics to detect and block malware and other malicious software.
What is Just-in-Time access control?
Just-in-time access control is a feature that allows organizations to control access to resources by providing temporary access when required.
What protocols can Just-in-Time access control be used for?
Just-in-time access control can be used for RDP, SSH, and other protocols.
What is the purpose of file integrity monitoring?
File integrity monitoring (FIM) tracks changes made to files and directories. It can detect unauthorized access, tampering, or deletion of files and send alerts to security administrators.
What is adaptive application control?
Adaptive application control is a feature that allows security administrators to control the execution of applications by specifying trusted applications or restricting the execution of unknown applications.
What is adaptive network hardening?
Adaptive network hardening is a feature that helps secure server network traffic by limiting communication to only necessary ports and protocols.
How does adaptive network hardening work?
Adaptive network hardening uses machine learning to learn about normal traffic patterns and creates a baseline. Any traffic that deviates from the baseline is flagged and either allowed or blocked, depending on the administrator’s policy.
What are the benefits of implementing file integrity monitoring?
The benefits of implementing file integrity monitoring include the detection of unauthorized access, tampering, or deletion of files, and the prevention of data exfiltration and ransomware attacks.
What are the benefits of implementing just-in-time access control?
The benefits of implementing just-in-time access control include reducing the attack surface and preventing unauthorized access to critical resources.
How does adaptive application control help prevent malware from executing on a server?
Adaptive application control allows security administrators to control the execution of applications by specifying trusted applications or restricting the execution of unknown applications, which can help prevent malware from executing on a server.
How does endpoint protection provide real-time protection against zero-day attacks?
Endpoint protection uses behavioral analysis, machine learning, and heuristics to detect and block malware and other malicious software, providing real-time protection against zero-day attacks.
How can adaptive network hardening improve a server’s security posture?
Adaptive network hardening can improve a server’s security posture by limiting communication to only necessary ports and protocols, which helps prevent unauthorized access and restricts the attack surface.
How does just-in-time access control require approval before granting access?
Just-in-time access control requires approval before granting access, which helps prevent unauthorized access to critical resources.
What are the key features of Microsoft Defender for Servers?
The key features of Microsoft Defender for Servers include endpoint protection, just-in-time access control, file integrity monitoring, adaptive application controls, and adaptive network hardening.
Great guide on configuring Microsoft Defender for Servers! Really helped me for the AZ-500 exam.
Thanks for the useful information.
I love how comprehensive this blog is. Quick question: Is Microsoft Defender for Servers a part of Azure Security Center?
Does configuring Microsoft Defender for Servers require a specific Azure subscription?
How does the deployment process differ between Windows and Linux servers?
Awesome! But I think a video tutorial would complement this guide really well.
Any known compatibility issues with other security tools?
What kind of logging does Microsoft Defender for Servers offer?