Tutorial / Cram Notes
Microsoft Sentinel is a scalable, cloud-native SIEM and SOAR solution that delivers intelligent security analytics and threat intelligence across an enterprise. Security Operations Analysts, particularly those preparing for the SC-200 Microsoft Security Operations Analyst exam, should be adept at utilizing Microsoft Sentinel to investigate incidents.
An incident in Microsoft Sentinel is an aggregation of related alerts that are potentially associated with malicious or suspicious activities in your electronic environment. To effectively investigate incidents within Microsoft Sentinel, analysts should follow a comprehensive process:
Identification of Incidents
The first step in the investigation process is the identification of incidents. Microsoft Sentinel aggregates alerts into incidents to make it easier for analysts to focus on related alerts in a single view. These incidents are often categorized by severity, status, and related information to prioritize response actions.
Investigation Process
Once an incident is identified, the investigation process involves the following steps:
- Assess the Incident
- Review the incident details, including the timeline, severity, and any associated alerts.
- Examine Alert Details
- Analyze the information within each alert, such as the source, target, triggered analytics rule, and the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) involved.
- Use the Investigation Graph
- The Investigation Graph provides a visual representation of the relationships between the entities involved in the incident, such as accounts, hosts, files, and IP addresses.
- Explore Entity Analytics
- View detailed information about entities such as user accounts or IP addresses to understand their roles in the incident.
- Check for Related Incidents
- Look for other incidents that may be linked or have similar characteristics, which could suggest a larger or coordinated attack.
- Review Additional Data Sources
- Incorporate other data sources and relevant threat intelligence to gain a comprehensive view of the incident.
Taking Action
After thoroughly investigating the incident, the following actions may be taken:
- Containment
- Apply immediate actions to isolate or contain the threat, minimizing any potential damage.
- Eradication
- Remove the threat from the environment, such as deleting malicious files or disabling compromised accounts.
- Recovery
- Restore systems and data to normal operation, ensuring all security measures are in place to prevent recurrence.
Post-Incident Activities
After resolving the incident, engaging in post-incident activities is essential to improve future security posture:
- Reflect on Lessons Learned
- Analyze the incident to identify improvements to security measures or response strategies.
- Adjust Sentinel Analytics Rules
- Fine-tune rules and alert thresholds in Microsoft Sentinel to better detect similar incidents in the future.
- Conduct a Post-incident Review
- Share findings within your organization and with relevant stakeholders to inform future policies and procedures.
Documentation and Reporting
Accurate documentation is critical throughout the incident response process. Analysts should record every step taken, from the initial identification of the incident through to the resolution and post-incident activities. This information is invaluable for compliance, auditing purposes, and improving incident response procedures.
Examples of Usage
For instance, if there is a suspected data exfiltration attempt, an analyst may identify an incident with multiple alerts related to large data transfers and unauthorized access to sensitive information. Using the Investigation Graph, the analyst can visualize the sequence and relationships between the alerts, aiding in identifying the potential exit points of the data and the accounts used in the exfiltration.
Summary
Investigating incidents in Microsoft Sentinel involves a methodical approach to address threats effectively. By understanding the features and tools available within Sentinel, and ensuring meticulous documentation and a thoughtful post-incident process, Security Operations Analysts can enhance the security and resilience of their organization’s infrastructure, an essential skill validated by the SC-200 certification.
Practice Test with Explanation
True or False: Microsoft Sentinel only supports data ingestion from Azure-based sources.
- ( ) True
- ( ) False
Answer: False
Explanation: Microsoft Sentinel can ingest data from various sources, including Azure, on-premises, and other cloud providers, not limited to Azure-based sources.
In Microsoft Sentinel, which feature allows you to execute automated responses to specific alerts?
- ( ) Data connectors
- ( ) Workbooks
- ( ) Playbooks
- ( ) Hunting queries
Answer: Playbooks
Explanation: Playbooks in Microsoft Sentinel are used to execute automated responses using Azure Logic Apps, when specific alerts are triggered.
Which of the following is a prebuilt visualization tool in Microsoft Sentinel for quick analysis of data and findings on a dashboard?
- ( ) Playbooks
- ( ) Hunting
- ( ) Workbooks
- ( ) Analytics
Answer: Workbooks
Explanation: Workbooks in Microsoft Sentinel provide prebuilt dashboards for visualization and analysis of data in a customizable and interactive manner.
True or False: You can use Kusto Query Language (KQL) in Microsoft Sentinel to create custom detection rules.
- ( ) True
- ( ) False
Answer: True
Explanation: Kusto Query Language (KQL) is used within Microsoft Sentinel to create custom detection rules, allowing for complex queries and analytics on ingested data for threat detection.
Which one of the following entities is responsible for gathering data from different sources into Microsoft Sentinel?
- ( ) Incidents
- ( ) Workbooks
- ( ) Data connectors
- ( ) Playbooks
Answer: Data connectors
Explanation: Data connectors are used in Microsoft Sentinel to gather data from a variety of sources to enable security analysis and threat detection.
True or False: In Microsoft Sentinel, you can’t collaborate with other team members on an incident.
- ( ) True
- ( ) False
Answer: False
Explanation: Collaboration is a key feature in Microsoft Sentinel, allowing multiple team members to work together on investigating and resolving incidents.
To maintain an organized investigation, what feature does Microsoft Sentinel provide for grouping related alerts?
- ( ) Playbooks
- ( ) Incidents
- ( ) Bookmarks
- ( ) Data connectors
Answer: Incidents
Explanation: Incidents in Microsoft Sentinel are used for grouping related alerts, enabling a more organized and efficient investigation process.
Which of the following are components of Microsoft Sentinel’s incident management process? (Select all that apply)
- ( ) Creating workbooks
- ( ) Triaging incidents
- ( ) Assigning ownership
- ( ) Setting severity levels
- ( ) Running hunting queries
Answer: Triaging incidents, Assigning ownership, Setting severity levels
Explanation: Within Microsoft Sentinel’s incident management process, triaging incidents to determine priority, assigning ownership to the appropriate team members, and setting severity levels are crucial components to ensure effective response.
True or False: Hunting queries in Microsoft Sentinel are automated and do not require any manual intervention to run on a schedule.
- ( ) True
- ( ) False
Answer: False
Explanation: While hunting queries can be automated to an extent, they often require manual setup and initiation to run on a schedule or as needed, as they are used for proactive threat hunting.
When investigating incidents in Microsoft Sentinel, which feature allows analysts to add comments and notes about their findings?
- ( ) Dashboard Annotations
- ( ) Bookmarks
- ( ) Incident Insights
- ( ) User Feedback
Answer: Bookmarks
Explanation: Bookmarks in Microsoft Sentinel allow analysts to add comments and notes about their findings during an investigation to provide context and insights.
True or False: Microsoft Sentinel’s machine learning capabilities can only be used if you provide your own machine learning models.
- ( ) True
- ( ) False
Answer: False
Explanation: Microsoft Sentinel provides built-in machine learning models and capabilities, allowing you to leverage them without needing to provide your own models.
After resolving an incident in Microsoft Sentinel, what is the recommended next step?
- ( ) Delete the incident from the system
- ( ) Document lessons learned
- ( ) Disable related data connectors
- ( ) Ignore similar future alerts
Answer: Document lessons learned
Explanation: After resolving an incident, it’s recommended to document lessons learned to improve future incident response strategies and to retain knowledge within the security operations team.
Interview Questions
What is the purpose of the incident investigation process in Microsoft Sentinel?
The incident investigation process in Microsoft Sentinel helps to identify the scope and severity of a security incident and the steps needed to contain and remediate it.
How do you access the incident investigation tool in Microsoft Sentinel?
To access the incident investigation tool in Microsoft Sentinel, navigate to the Incidents page in the Azure Sentinel workspace and select the incident you want to investigate.
What is the first step in the incident investigation process in Microsoft Sentinel?
The first step in the incident investigation process in Microsoft Sentinel is to gather and analyze all available evidence related to the incident, including logs, alerts, and other security-related data.
What is the purpose of the query builder in Microsoft Sentinel?
The query builder in Microsoft Sentinel is used to construct complex queries to search and analyze data from different sources in the Azure Sentinel workspace.
What is the difference between raw logs and normalized logs in Microsoft Sentinel?
Raw logs in Microsoft Sentinel are the original log data collected from a data source, while normalized logs are processed and enriched logs that have been standardized and categorized for analysis.
How can you pivot to a different entity in Microsoft Sentinel incident investigation tool?
To pivot to a different entity in the Microsoft Sentinel incident investigation tool, right-click on an entity in the graph and select the option to pivot to another related entity.
What is the purpose of the bookmark feature in Microsoft Sentinel incident investigation tool?
The bookmark feature in the Microsoft Sentinel incident investigation tool allows you to save a specific view or state of the investigation for future reference or sharing with others.
What is the value of the machine learning insights in Microsoft Sentinel incident investigation tool?
The machine learning insights in the Microsoft Sentinel incident investigation tool can help to identify hidden or complex relationships between different entities and activities, and can provide additional context to help understand the scope and severity of the incident.
How can you integrate third-party tools and services with Microsoft Sentinel incident investigation tool?
You can integrate third-party tools and services with the Microsoft Sentinel incident investigation tool by using APIs or webhooks to send and receive data and events from the incident investigation workflow.
How can you improve the incident investigation process in Microsoft Sentinel?
You can improve the incident investigation process in Microsoft Sentinel by regularly reviewing and refining your queries and investigation techniques, leveraging automation and machine learning insights, and collaborating with other security teams and stakeholders to share knowledge and best practices.
This blog post on investigating incidents in Microsoft Sentinel is really helpful!
How does Microsoft Sentinel differentiate between true positives and false positives in incident investigations?
Can anyone explain the use of hunting queries in Microsoft Sentinel?
Great tips on tuning analytic rules to avoid alert fatigue!
I remember struggling with incident management in Sentinel when I first started. This blog would’ve been a lifesaver.
Does Microsoft Sentinel integrate well with third-party security tools?
Appreciate the in-depth walkthrough on incident investigation!
I think the blog post could have included more real-world examples. Just a suggestion!