Details of the Azure Security Benchmark Regulatory Compliance built-in initiative
The following article details how the Azure Policy Regulatory Compliance built-in initiative definition maps to compliance domains and controls in Azure Security Benchmark. For more information about this compliance standard, see Azure Security Benchmark . To understand Ownership , see Azure Policy policy definition and Shared responsibility in the cloud .
The following mappings are to the Azure Security Benchmark controls. Use the navigation on the right to jump directly to a specific compliance domain . Many of the controls are implemented with an Azure Policy initiative definition. To review the complete initiative definition, open Policy in the Azure portal and select the Definitions page. Then, find and select the Azure Security Benchmark v2 Regulatory Compliance built-in initiative definition.
Important
Each control below is associated with one or more Azure Policy definitions. These policies may help you assess compliance with the control; however, there often is not a 1:1 or complete match between a control and one or more policies.  In addition, the compliance standard includes controls that aren't addressed by any Azure Policy definitions at this time. Therefore, compliance in Azure Policy is only a partial view of your overall compliance status. The associations between compliance domains, controls, and Azure Policy definitions for this compliance standard may change over time. To view the change history, see the GitHub Commit History .
Network Security
Implement security for internal traffic
ID : Azure Security Benchmark NS-1 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adaptive network hardening recommendations should be applied on internet facing virtual machines | Azure Security Center analyzes the traffic patterns of Internet facing virtual machines and provides Network Security Group rule recommendations that reduce the potential attack surface | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| All Internet traffic should be routed via your deployed Azure Firewall | Azure Security Center has identified that some of your subnets aren't protected with a next generation firewall. Protect your subnets from potential threats by restricting access to them with Azure Firewall or a supported next generation firewall | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0-preview |
| API Management services should use a virtual network | Azure Virtual Network deployment provides enhanced security, isolation and allows you to place your API Management service in a non-internet routable network that you control access to. These networks can then be connected to your on-premises networks using various VPN technologies, which enables access to your backend services within the network and/or on-premises. The developer portal and API gateway, can be configured to be accessible either from the Internet or only within the virtual network. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Authorized IP ranges should be defined on Kubernetes Services | Restrict access to the Kubernetes Service Management API by granting API access only to IP addresses in specific ranges. It is recommended to limit access to authorized IP ranges to ensure that only applications from allowed networks can access the cluster. | Audit, Disabled | 2.0.1 |
| Azure Cosmos DB accounts should have firewall rules | Firewall rules should be defined on your Azure Cosmos DB accounts to prevent traffic from unauthorized sources. Accounts that have at least one IP rule defined with the virtual network filter enabled are deemed compliant. Accounts disabling public access are also deemed compliant. | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Cognitive Services accounts should restrict network access | Network access to Cognitive Services accounts should be restricted. Configure network rules so only applications from allowed networks can access the Cognitive Services account. To allow connections from specific internet or on-premises clients, access can be granted to traffic from specific Azure virtual networks or to public internet IP address ranges. | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| Container registries should not allow unrestricted network access | Azure container registries by default accept connections over the internet from hosts on any network. To protect your registries from potential threats, allow access from only specific public IP addresses or address ranges. If your registry doesn't have an IP/firewall rule or a configured virtual network, it will appear in the unhealthy resources. Learn more about Container Registry network rules here: https://aka.ms/acr/portal/public-network and here https://aka.ms/acr/vnet . | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Firewall should be enabled on Key Vault | Key vault's firewall prevents unauthorized traffic from reaching your key vault and provides an additional layer of protection for your secrets. Enable the firewall to make sure that only traffic from allowed networks can access your key vault. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.2-preview |
| Internet-facing virtual machines should be protected with network security groups | Protect your virtual machines from potential threats by restricting access to them with network security groups (NSG). Learn more about controlling traffic with NSGs at https://aka.ms/nsg-doc | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| IP Forwarding on your virtual machine should be disabled | Enabling IP forwarding on a virtual machine's NIC allows the machine to receive traffic addressed to other destinations. IP forwarding is rarely required (e.g., when using the VM as a network virtual appliance), and therefore, this should be reviewed by the network security team. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| Management ports of virtual machines should be protected with just-in-time network access control | Possible network Just In Time (JIT) access will be monitored by Azure Security Center as recommendations | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| Management ports should be closed on your virtual machines | Open remote management ports are exposing your VM to a high level of risk from Internet-based attacks. These attacks attempt to brute force credentials to gain admin access to the machine. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| Public network access on Azure SQL Database should be disabled | Disabling the public network access property improves security by ensuring your Azure SQL Database can only be accessed from a private endpoint. This configuration denies all logins that match IP or virtual network based firewall rules. | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.1.0 |
| Public network access should be disabled for Cognitive Services accounts | This policy audits any Cognitive Services account in your environment with public network access enabled. Public network access should be disabled so that only connections from private endpoints are allowed. | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| Public network access should be disabled for MariaDB servers | Disable the public network access property to improve security and ensure your Azure Database for MariaDB can only be accessed from a private endpoint. This configuration strictly disables access from any public address space outside of Azure IP range, and denies all logins that match IP or virtual network-based firewall rules. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Public network access should be disabled for MySQL servers | Disable the public network access property to improve security and ensure your Azure Database for MySQL can only be accessed from a private endpoint. This configuration strictly disables access from any public address space outside of Azure IP range, and denies all logins that match IP or virtual network-based firewall rules. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Public network access should be disabled for PostgreSQL servers | Disable the public network access property to improve security and ensure your Azure Database for PostgreSQL can only be accessed from a private endpoint. This configuration disables access from any public address space outside of Azure IP range, and denies all logins that match IP or virtual network-based firewall rules. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Storage accounts should restrict network access | Network access to storage accounts should be restricted. Configure network rules so only applications from allowed networks can access the storage account. To allow connections from specific internet or on-premises clients, access can be granted to traffic from specific Azure virtual networks or to public internet IP address ranges | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.1.1 |
| Storage accounts should restrict network access using virtual network rules | Protect your storage accounts from potential threats using virtual network rules as a preferred method instead of IP-based filtering. Disabling IP-based filtering prevents public IPs from accessing your storage accounts. | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Subnets should be associated with a Network Security Group | Protect your subnet from potential threats by restricting access to it with a Network Security Group (NSG). NSGs contain a list of Access Control List (ACL) rules that allow or deny network traffic to your subnet. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
Connect private networks together
ID : Azure Security Benchmark NS-2 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| App Configuration should use private link | Azure Private Link lets you connect your virtual network to Azure services without a public IP address at the source or destination. The private link platform handles the connectivity between the consumer and services over the Azure backbone network. By mapping private endpoints to your app configuration instances instead of the entire service, you'll also be protected against data leakage risks. Learn more at: https://aka.ms/appconfig/private-endpoint . | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Azure Cache for Redis should reside within a virtual network | Azure Virtual Network deployment provides enhanced security and isolation for your Azure Cache for Redis, as well as subnets, access control policies, and other features to further restrict access.When an Azure Cache for Redis instance is configured with a virtual network, it is not publicly addressable and can only be accessed from virtual machines and applications within the virtual network. | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Azure Event Grid domains should use private link | Azure Private Link lets you connect your virtual network to Azure services without a public IP address at the source or destination. The Private Link platform handles the connectivity between the consumer and services over the Azure backbone network. By mapping private endpoints to your Event Grid domain instead of the entire service, you'll also be protected against data leakage risks. Learn more at: https://aka.ms/privateendpoints . | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Azure Event Grid topics should use private link | Azure Private Link lets you connect your virtual network to Azure services without a public IP address at the source or destination. The Private Link platform handles the connectivity between the consumer and services over the Azure backbone network. By mapping private endpoints to your Event Grid topic instead of the entire service, you'll also be protected against data leakage risks. Learn more at: https://aka.ms/privateendpoints . | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Azure Machine Learning workspaces should use private link | Azure Private Link lets you connect your virtual network to Azure services without a public IP address at the source or destination. The private link platform handles the connectivity between the consumer and services over the Azure backbone network. By mapping private endpoints to your Azure Machine Learning workspaces instead of the entire service, you'll also be protected against data leakage risks. Learn more at: https://aka.ms/azureml-workspaces-privatelink . | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Azure SignalR Service should use private link | Azure Private Link lets you connect your virtual network to Azure services without a public IP address at the source or destination. The private link platform handles the connectivity between the consumer and services over the Azure backbone network. By mapping private endpoints to your SignalR resources instead of the entire service, you'll also be protected against data leakage risks .Learn more at: https://aka.ms/asrs/privatelink . | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Azure Spring Cloud should use network injection | Azure Spring Cloud instances should use virtual network injection for the following purposes: 1. Isolate Azure Spring Cloud from Internet. 2. Enable Azure Spring Cloud to interact with systems in either on premises data centers or Azure service in other virtual networks. 3. Empower customers to control inbound and outbound network communications for Azure Spring Cloud. | Audit, Disabled, Deny | 1.0.0 |
| Container registries should use private link | Azure Private Link lets you connect your virtual network to Azure services without a public IP address at the source or destination. The private link platform handles the connectivity between the consumer and services over the Azure backbone network.By mapping private endpoints to your container registries instead of the entire service, you'll also be protected against data leakage risks. Learn more at: https://aka.ms/acr/private-link . | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Private endpoint connections on Azure SQL Database should be enabled | Private endpoint connections enforce secure communication by enabling private connectivity to Azure SQL Database. | Audit, Disabled | 1.1.0 |
| Private endpoint should be configured for Key Vault | Private link provides a way to connect Key Vault to your Azure resources without sending traffic over the public internet. Private link provides defense in depth protection against data exfiltration. | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.1.0-preview |
| Private endpoint should be enabled for MariaDB servers | Private endpoint connections enforce secure communication by enabling private connectivity to Azure Database for MariaDB. Configure a private endpoint connection to enable access to traffic coming only from known networks and prevent access from all other IP addresses, including within Azure. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Private endpoint should be enabled for MySQL servers | Private endpoint connections enforce secure communication by enabling private connectivity to Azure Database for MySQL. Configure a private endpoint connection to enable access to traffic coming only from known networks and prevent access from all other IP addresses, including within Azure. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Private endpoint should be enabled for PostgreSQL servers | Private endpoint connections enforce secure communication by enabling private connectivity to Azure Database for PostgreSQL. Configure a private endpoint connection to enable access to traffic coming only from known networks and prevent access from all other IP addresses, including within Azure. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Storage account should use a private link connection | Private links enforce secure communication, by providing private connectivity to the storage account | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| VM Image Builder templates should use private link | Audit VM Image Builder templates that do not have a virtual network configured. When a virtual network is not configured, a public IP is created and used instead which may directly expose resources to the internet and increase the potential attack surface. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
Establish private network access to Azure services
ID : Azure Security Benchmark NS-3 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| App Configuration should use private link | Azure Private Link lets you connect your virtual network to Azure services without a public IP address at the source or destination. The private link platform handles the connectivity between the consumer and services over the Azure backbone network. By mapping private endpoints to your app configuration instances instead of the entire service, you'll also be protected against data leakage risks. Learn more at: https://aka.ms/appconfig/private-endpoint . | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Azure Event Grid domains should use private link | Azure Private Link lets you connect your virtual network to Azure services without a public IP address at the source or destination. The Private Link platform handles the connectivity between the consumer and services over the Azure backbone network. By mapping private endpoints to your Event Grid domain instead of the entire service, you'll also be protected against data leakage risks. Learn more at: https://aka.ms/privateendpoints . | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Azure Event Grid topics should use private link | Azure Private Link lets you connect your virtual network to Azure services without a public IP address at the source or destination. The Private Link platform handles the connectivity between the consumer and services over the Azure backbone network. By mapping private endpoints to your Event Grid topic instead of the entire service, you'll also be protected against data leakage risks. Learn more at: https://aka.ms/privateendpoints . | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Azure Machine Learning workspaces should use private link | Azure Private Link lets you connect your virtual network to Azure services without a public IP address at the source or destination. The private link platform handles the connectivity between the consumer and services over the Azure backbone network. By mapping private endpoints to your Azure Machine Learning workspaces instead of the entire service, you'll also be protected against data leakage risks. Learn more at: https://aka.ms/azureml-workspaces-privatelink . | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Azure SignalR Service should use private link | Azure Private Link lets you connect your virtual network to Azure services without a public IP address at the source or destination. The private link platform handles the connectivity between the consumer and services over the Azure backbone network. By mapping private endpoints to your SignalR resources instead of the entire service, you'll also be protected against data leakage risks .Learn more at: https://aka.ms/asrs/privatelink . | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Container registries should use private link | Azure Private Link lets you connect your virtual network to Azure services without a public IP address at the source or destination. The private link platform handles the connectivity between the consumer and services over the Azure backbone network.By mapping private endpoints to your container registries instead of the entire service, you'll also be protected against data leakage risks. Learn more at: https://aka.ms/acr/private-link . | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Private endpoint connections on Azure SQL Database should be enabled | Private endpoint connections enforce secure communication by enabling private connectivity to Azure SQL Database. | Audit, Disabled | 1.1.0 |
| Private endpoint should be configured for Key Vault | Private link provides a way to connect Key Vault to your Azure resources without sending traffic over the public internet. Private link provides defense in depth protection against data exfiltration. | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.1.0-preview |
| Private endpoint should be enabled for MariaDB servers | Private endpoint connections enforce secure communication by enabling private connectivity to Azure Database for MariaDB. Configure a private endpoint connection to enable access to traffic coming only from known networks and prevent access from all other IP addresses, including within Azure. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Private endpoint should be enabled for MySQL servers | Private endpoint connections enforce secure communication by enabling private connectivity to Azure Database for MySQL. Configure a private endpoint connection to enable access to traffic coming only from known networks and prevent access from all other IP addresses, including within Azure. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Private endpoint should be enabled for PostgreSQL servers | Private endpoint connections enforce secure communication by enabling private connectivity to Azure Database for PostgreSQL. Configure a private endpoint connection to enable access to traffic coming only from known networks and prevent access from all other IP addresses, including within Azure. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Storage account should use a private link connection | Private links enforce secure communication, by providing private connectivity to the storage account | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| VM Image Builder templates should use private link | Audit VM Image Builder templates that do not have a virtual network configured. When a virtual network is not configured, a public IP is created and used instead which may directly expose resources to the internet and increase the potential attack surface. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
Protect applications and services from external network attacks
ID : Azure Security Benchmark NS-4 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adaptive network hardening recommendations should be applied on internet facing virtual machines | Azure Security Center analyzes the traffic patterns of Internet facing virtual machines and provides Network Security Group rule recommendations that reduce the potential attack surface | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| All Internet traffic should be routed via your deployed Azure Firewall | Azure Security Center has identified that some of your subnets aren't protected with a next generation firewall. Protect your subnets from potential threats by restricting access to them with Azure Firewall or a supported next generation firewall | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0-preview |
| Authorized IP ranges should be defined on Kubernetes Services | Restrict access to the Kubernetes Service Management API by granting API access only to IP addresses in specific ranges. It is recommended to limit access to authorized IP ranges to ensure that only applications from allowed networks can access the cluster. | Audit, Disabled | 2.0.1 |
| Azure Cosmos DB accounts should have firewall rules | Firewall rules should be defined on your Azure Cosmos DB accounts to prevent traffic from unauthorized sources. Accounts that have at least one IP rule defined with the virtual network filter enabled are deemed compliant. Accounts disabling public access are also deemed compliant. | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Azure DDoS Protection Standard should be enabled | DDoS protection standard should be enabled for all virtual networks with a subnet that is part of an application gateway with a public IP. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| Firewall should be enabled on Key Vault | Key vault's firewall prevents unauthorized traffic from reaching your key vault and provides an additional layer of protection for your secrets. Enable the firewall to make sure that only traffic from allowed networks can access your key vault. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.2-preview |
| Internet-facing virtual machines should be protected with network security groups | Protect your virtual machines from potential threats by restricting access to them with network security groups (NSG). Learn more about controlling traffic with NSGs at https://aka.ms/nsg-doc | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| IP Forwarding on your virtual machine should be disabled | Enabling IP forwarding on a virtual machine's NIC allows the machine to receive traffic addressed to other destinations. IP forwarding is rarely required (e.g., when using the VM as a network virtual appliance), and therefore, this should be reviewed by the network security team. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| Management ports of virtual machines should be protected with just-in-time network access control | Possible network Just In Time (JIT) access will be monitored by Azure Security Center as recommendations | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| RDP access from the Internet should be blocked | This policy audits any network security rule that allows RDP access from Internet | Audit, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| SSH access from the Internet should be blocked | This policy audits any network security rule that allows SSH access from Internet | Audit, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Storage accounts should restrict network access | Network access to storage accounts should be restricted. Configure network rules so only applications from allowed networks can access the storage account. To allow connections from specific internet or on-premises clients, access can be granted to traffic from specific Azure virtual networks or to public internet IP address ranges | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.1.1 |
| Subnets should be associated with a Network Security Group | Protect your subnet from potential threats by restricting access to it with a Network Security Group (NSG). NSGs contain a list of Access Control List (ACL) rules that allow or deny network traffic to your subnet. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| Web Application Firewall (WAF) should be enabled for Application Gateway | Deploy Azure Web Application Firewall (WAF) in front of public facing web applications for additional inspection of incoming traffic. Web Application Firewall (WAF) provides centralized protection of your web applications from common exploits and vulnerabilities such as SQL injections, Cross-Site Scripting, local and remote file executions. You can also restrict access to your web applications by countries, IP address ranges, and other http(s) parameters via custom rules. | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Web Application Firewall (WAF) should be enabled for Azure Front Door Service service | Deploy Azure Web Application Firewall (WAF) in front of public facing web applications for additional inspection of incoming traffic. Web Application Firewall (WAF) provides centralized protection of your web applications from common exploits and vulnerabilities such as SQL injections, Cross-Site Scripting, local and remote file executions. You can also restrict access to your web applications by countries, IP address ranges, and other http(s) parameters via custom rules. | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
Deploy intrusion detection/intrusion prevention systems (IDS/IPS)
ID : Azure Security Benchmark NS-5 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Internet traffic should be routed via your deployed Azure Firewall | Azure Security Center has identified that some of your subnets aren't protected with a next generation firewall. Protect your subnets from potential threats by restricting access to them with Azure Firewall or a supported next generation firewall | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0-preview |
Identity Management
Standardize Azure Active Directory as the central identity and authentication system
ID : Azure Security Benchmark IM-1 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| An Azure Active Directory administrator should be provisioned for SQL servers | Audit provisioning of an Azure Active Directory administrator for your SQL server to enable Azure AD authentication. Azure AD authentication enables simplified permission management and centralized identity management of database users and other Microsoft services | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| Managed identity should be used in your API App | Use a managed identity for enhanced authentication security | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Managed identity should be used in your Function App | Use a managed identity for enhanced authentication security | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Managed identity should be used in your Web App | Use a managed identity for enhanced authentication security | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Service Fabric clusters should only use Azure Active Directory for client authentication | Audit usage of client authentication only via Azure Active Directory in Service Fabric | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.1.0 |
Manage application identities securely and automatically
ID : Azure Security Benchmark IM-2 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Managed identity should be used in your API App | Use a managed identity for enhanced authentication security | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Managed identity should be used in your Function App | Use a managed identity for enhanced authentication security | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Managed identity should be used in your Web App | Use a managed identity for enhanced authentication security | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Service principals should be used to protect your subscriptions instead of management certificates | Management certificates allow anyone who authenticates with them to manage the subscription(s) they are associated with. To manage subscriptions more securely, use of service principals with Resource Manager is recommended to limit the impact of a certificate compromise. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
Use strong authentication controls for all Azure Active Directory based access
ID : Azure Security Benchmark IM-4 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| MFA should be enabled accounts with write permissions on your subscription | Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) should be enabled for all subscription accounts with write privileges to prevent a breach of accounts or resources. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| MFA should be enabled on accounts with owner permissions on your subscription | Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) should be enabled for all subscription accounts with owner permissions to prevent a breach of accounts or resources. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| MFA should be enabled on accounts with read permissions on your subscription | Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) should be enabled for all subscription accounts with read privileges to prevent a breach of accounts or resources. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
Privileged Access
Protect and limit highly privileged users
ID : Azure Security Benchmark PA-1 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A maximum of 3 owners should be designated for your subscription | It is recommended to designate up to 3 subscription owners in order to reduce the potential for breach by a compromised owner. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| Deprecated accounts with owner permissions should be removed from your subscription | Deprecated accounts with owner permissions should be removed from your subscription. Deprecated accounts are accounts that have been blocked from signing in. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| External accounts with owner permissions should be removed from your subscription | External accounts with owner permissions should be removed from your subscription in order to prevent unmonitored access. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| There should be more than one owner assigned to your subscription | It is recommended to designate more than one subscription owner in order to have administrator access redundancy. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
Review and reconcile user access regularly
ID : Azure Security Benchmark PA-3 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deprecated accounts should be removed from your subscription | Deprecated accounts should be removed from your subscriptions. Deprecated accounts are accounts that have been blocked from signing in. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| Deprecated accounts with owner permissions should be removed from your subscription | Deprecated accounts with owner permissions should be removed from your subscription. Deprecated accounts are accounts that have been blocked from signing in. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| External accounts with owner permissions should be removed from your subscription | External accounts with owner permissions should be removed from your subscription in order to prevent unmonitored access. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| External accounts with read permissions should be removed from your subscription | External accounts with read privileges should be removed from your subscription in order to prevent unmonitored access. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| External accounts with write permissions should be removed from your subscription | External accounts with write privileges should be removed from your subscription in order to prevent unmonitored access. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
Follow just enough administration (least privilege principle)
ID : Azure Security Benchmark PA-7 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audit usage of custom RBAC rules | Audit built-in roles such as 'Owner, Contributer, Reader' instead of custom RBAC roles, which are error prone. Using custom roles is treated as an exception and requires a rigorous review and threat modeling | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| Custom subscription owner roles should not exist | This policy ensures that no custom subscription owner roles exist. | Audit, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) should be used on Kubernetes Services | To provide granular filtering on the actions that users can perform, use Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) to manage permissions in Kubernetes Service Clusters and configure relevant authorization policies. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
Data Protection
Discovery, classify and label sensitive data
ID : Azure Security Benchmark DP-1 Ownership : Shared
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sensitive data in your SQL databases should be classified | Azure Security Center monitors the data discovery and classification scan results for your SQL databases and provides recommendations to classify the sensitive data in your databases for better monitoring and security | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0-preview |
Protect sensitive data
ID : Azure Security Benchmark DP-2 Ownership : Shared
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced data security should be enabled on SQL Managed Instance | Audit each SQL Managed Instance without advanced data security. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Azure Defender for Azure SQL Database servers should be enabled | Azure Defender for SQL provides functionality for surfacing and mitigating potential database vulnerabilities, detecting anomalous activities that could indicate threats to SQL databases, and discovering and classifying sensitive data. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Azure Defender for SQL servers on machines should be enabled | Azure Defender for SQL provides functionality for surfacing and mitigating potential database vulnerabilities, detecting anomalous activities that could indicate threats to SQL databases, and discovering and classifying sensitive data. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Azure Defender for Storage should be enabled | Azure Defender for Storage provides detections of unusual and potentially harmful attempts to access or exploit storage accounts. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Cognitive Services accounts should enable data encryption | This policy audits any Cognitive Services account not using data encryption. For each Cognitive Services account with storage, should enable data encryption with either customer managed or Microsoft managed key. | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| Disk encryption should be applied on virtual machines | Virtual machines without an enabled disk encryption will be monitored by Azure Security Center as recommendations. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Storage account public access should be disallowed | Anonymous public read access to containers and blobs in Azure Storage is a convenient way to share data but might present security risks. To prevent data breaches caused by undesired anonymous access, Microsoft recommends preventing public access to a storage account unless your scenario requires it. | audit, deny, disabled | 2.0.1-preview |
| Transparent Data Encryption on SQL databases should be enabled | Transparent data encryption should be enabled to protect data-at-rest and meet compliance requirements | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
Monitor for unauthorized transfer of sensitive data
ID : Azure Security Benchmark DP-3 Ownership : Shared
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced data security should be enabled on SQL Managed Instance | Audit each SQL Managed Instance without advanced data security. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Azure Defender for Azure SQL Database servers should be enabled | Azure Defender for SQL provides functionality for surfacing and mitigating potential database vulnerabilities, detecting anomalous activities that could indicate threats to SQL databases, and discovering and classifying sensitive data. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Azure Defender for SQL servers on machines should be enabled | Azure Defender for SQL provides functionality for surfacing and mitigating potential database vulnerabilities, detecting anomalous activities that could indicate threats to SQL databases, and discovering and classifying sensitive data. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Azure Defender for Storage should be enabled | Azure Defender for Storage provides detections of unusual and potentially harmful attempts to access or exploit storage accounts. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
Encrypt sensitive information in transit
ID : Azure Security Benchmark DP-4 Ownership : Shared
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| API App should only be accessible over HTTPS | Use of HTTPS ensures server/service authentication and protects data in transit from network layer eavesdropping attacks. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| Enforce SSL connection should be enabled for MySQL database servers | Azure Database for MySQL supports connecting your Azure Database for MySQL server to client applications using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). Enforcing SSL connections between your database server and your client applications helps protect against 'man in the middle' attacks by encrypting the data stream between the server and your application. This configuration enforces that SSL is always enabled for accessing your database server. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Enforce SSL connection should be enabled for PostgreSQL database servers | Azure Database for PostgreSQL supports connecting your Azure Database for PostgreSQL server to client applications using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). Enforcing SSL connections between your database server and your client applications helps protect against 'man in the middle' attacks by encrypting the data stream between the server and your application. This configuration enforces that SSL is always enabled for accessing your database server. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| FTPS only should be required in your API App | Enable FTPS enforcement for enhanced security | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| FTPS only should be required in your Function App | Enable FTPS enforcement for enhanced security | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| FTPS should be required in your Web App | Enable FTPS enforcement for enhanced security | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Function App should only be accessible over HTTPS | Use of HTTPS ensures server/service authentication and protects data in transit from network layer eavesdropping attacks. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| Kubernetes clusters should be accessible only over HTTPS | Use of HTTPS ensures authentication and protects data in transit from network layer eavesdropping attacks. This capability is currently generally available for Kubernetes Service (AKS), and in preview for AKS Engine and Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes. For more info, visit https://aka.ms/kubepolicydoc | audit, deny, disabled | 5.0.2 |
| Latest TLS version should be used in your API App | Upgrade to the latest TLS version | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| Latest TLS version should be used in your Function App | Upgrade to the latest TLS version | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| Latest TLS version should be used in your Web App | Upgrade to the latest TLS version | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| Only secure connections to your Azure Cache for Redis should be enabled | Audit enabling of only connections via SSL to Azure Cache for Redis. Use of secure connections ensures authentication between the server and the service and protects data in transit from network layer attacks such as man-in-the-middle, eavesdropping, and session-hijacking | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| Secure transfer to storage accounts should be enabled | Audit requirement of Secure transfer in your storage account. Secure transfer is an option that forces your storage account to accept requests only from secure connections (HTTPS). Use of HTTPS ensures authentication between the server and the service and protects data in transit from network layer attacks such as man-in-the-middle, eavesdropping, and session-hijacking | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Web Application should only be accessible over HTTPS | Use of HTTPS ensures server/service authentication and protects data in transit from network layer eavesdropping attacks. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| Windows web servers should be configured to use secure communication protocols | To protect the privacy of information communicated over the Internet, your web servers should use the latest version of the industry-standard cryptographic protocol, Transport Layer Security (TLS). TLS secures communications over a network by using security certificates to encrypt a connection between machines. TLS 1.3 is faster and more secure than the earlier versions: TLS 1.0-1.2 and SSL 2-3, which are all considered legacy protocols. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
Encrypt sensitive data at rest
ID : Azure Security Benchmark DP-5 Ownership : Shared
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automation account variables should be encrypted | It is important to enable encryption of Automation account variable assets when storing sensitive data | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.1.0 |
| Azure Cosmos DB accounts should use customer-managed keys to encrypt data at rest | Use customer-managed keys to manage the encryption at rest of your Azure Cosmos DB. By default, the data is encrypted at rest with service-managed keys, but customer-managed keys are commonly required to meet regulatory compliance standards. Customer-managed keys enable the data to be encrypted with an Azure Key Vault key created and owned by you. You have full control and responsibility for the key lifecycle, including rotation and management. Learn more at https://aka.ms/cosmosdb-cmk . | audit, deny, disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Azure Machine Learning workspaces should be encrypted with a customer-managed key | Manage encryption at rest of Azure Machine Learning workspace data with customer-managed keys. By default, customer data is encrypted with service-managed keys, but customer-managed keys are commonly required to meet regulatory compliance standards. Customer-managed keys enable the data to be encrypted with an Azure Key Vault key created and owned by you. You have full control and responsibility for the key lifecycle, including rotation and management. Learn more at https://aka.ms/azureml-workspaces-cmk . | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Bring your own key data protection should be enabled for MySQL servers | Use customer-managed keys to manage the encryption at rest of your MySQL servers. By default, the data is encrypted at rest with service-managed keys, but customer-managed keys are commonly required to meet regulatory compliance standards. Customer-managed keys enable the data to be encrypted with an Azure Key Vault key created and owned by you. You have full control and responsibility for the key lifecycle, including rotation and management. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Bring your own key data protection should be enabled for PostgreSQL servers | Use customer-managed keys to manage the encryption at rest of your PostgreSQL servers. By default, the data is encrypted at rest with service-managed keys, but customer-managed keys are commonly required to meet regulatory compliance standards. Customer-managed keys enable the data to be encrypted with an Azure Key Vault key created and owned by you. You have full control and responsibility for the key lifecycle, including rotation and management. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Cognitive Services accounts should enable data encryption with a customer-managed key | Customer-managed keys are commonly required to meet regulatory compliance standards. Customer-managed keys enable the data stored in Cognitive Services to be encrypted with an Azure Key Vault key created and owned by you. You have full control and responsibility for the key lifecycle, including rotation and management. Learn more about customer-managed keys at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2121321 . | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Cognitive Services accounts should use customer owned storage or enable data encryption. | This policy audits any Cognitive Services account not using customer owned storage nor data encryption. For each Cognitive Services account with storage, use either customer owned storage or enable data encryption. | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| Container registries should be encrypted with a customer-managed key | Use customer-managed keys to manage the encryption at rest of the contents of your registries. By default, the data is encrypted at rest with service-managed keys, but customer-managed keys are commonly required to meet regulatory compliance standards. Customer-managed keys enable the data to be encrypted with an Azure Key Vault key created and owned by you. You have full control and responsibility for the key lifecycle, including rotation and management. Learn more at https://aka.ms/acr/CMK . | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.1.2 |
| Disk encryption should be applied on virtual machines | Virtual machines without an enabled disk encryption will be monitored by Azure Security Center as recommendations. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Service Fabric clusters should have the ClusterProtectionLevel property set to EncryptAndSign | Service Fabric provides three levels of protection (None, Sign and EncryptAndSign) for node-to-node communication using a primary cluster certificate. Set the protection level to ensure that all node-to-node messages are encrypted and digitally signed | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.1.0 |
| SQL managed instances should use customer-managed keys to encrypt data at rest | Implementing Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) with your own key provides you with increased transparency and control over the TDE Protector, increased security with an HSM-backed external service, and promotion of separation of duties. This recommendation applies to organizations with a related compliance requirement. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| SQL servers should use customer-managed keys to encrypt data at rest | Implementing Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) with your own key provides increased transparency and control over the TDE Protector, increased security with an HSM-backed external service, and promotion of separation of duties. This recommendation applies to organizations with a related compliance requirement. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.1 |
| Storage accounts should use customer-managed key for encryption | Secure your storage account with greater flexibility using customer-managed keys. When you specify a customer-managed key, that key is used to protect and control access to the key that encrypts your data. Using customer-managed keys provides additional capabilities to control rotation of the key encryption key or cryptographically erase data. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Transparent Data Encryption on SQL databases should be enabled | Transparent data encryption should be enabled to protect data-at-rest and meet compliance requirements | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
Asset Management
Use only approved Azure services
ID : Azure Security Benchmark AM-3 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storage accounts should be migrated to new Azure Resource Manager resources | Use new Azure Resource Manager for your storage accounts to provide security enhancements such as: stronger access control (RBAC), better auditing, Azure Resource Manager based deployment and governance, access to managed identities, access to key vault for secrets, Azure AD-based authentication and support for tags and resource groups for easier security management | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| Virtual machines should be migrated to new Azure Resource Manager resources | Use new Azure Resource Manager for your virtual machines to provide security enhancements such as: stronger access control (RBAC), better auditing, Azure Resource Manager based deployment and governance, access to managed identities, access to key vault for secrets, Azure AD-based authentication and support for tags and resource groups for easier security management | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
Use only approved applications in compute resources
ID : Azure Security Benchmark AM-6 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adaptive application controls for defining safe applications should be enabled on your machines | Enable application controls to define the list of known-safe applications running on your machines, and alert you when other applications run. This helps harden your machines against malware. To simplify the process of configuring and maintaining your rules, Security Center uses machine learning to analyze the applications running on each machine and suggest the list of known-safe applications. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
Logging and Threat Detection
Enable threat detection for Azure resources
ID : Azure Security Benchmark LT-1 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced data security should be enabled on SQL Managed Instance | Audit each SQL Managed Instance without advanced data security. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Azure Defender for App Service should be enabled | Azure Defender for App Service leverages the scale of the cloud, and the visibility that Azure has as a cloud provider, to monitor for common web app attacks. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Azure Defender for Azure SQL Database servers should be enabled | Azure Defender for SQL provides functionality for surfacing and mitigating potential database vulnerabilities, detecting anomalous activities that could indicate threats to SQL databases, and discovering and classifying sensitive data. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Azure Defender for container registries should be enabled | Azure Defender for container registries provides vulnerability scanning of any images pulled within the last 30 days, pushed to your registry, or imported, and exposes detailed findings per image. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Azure Defender for Key Vault should be enabled | Azure Defender for Key Vault provides an additional layer of protection and security intelligence by detecting unusual and potentially harmful attempts to access or exploit key vault accounts. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Azure Defender for Kubernetes should be enabled | Azure Defender for Kubernetes provides real-time threat protection for containerized environments and generates alerts for suspicious activities. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Azure Defender for servers should be enabled | Azure Defender for servers provides real-time threat protection for server workloads and generates hardening recommendations as well as alerts about suspicious activities. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Azure Defender for SQL servers on machines should be enabled | Azure Defender for SQL provides functionality for surfacing and mitigating potential database vulnerabilities, detecting anomalous activities that could indicate threats to SQL databases, and discovering and classifying sensitive data. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Azure Defender for Storage should be enabled | Azure Defender for Storage provides detections of unusual and potentially harmful attempts to access or exploit storage accounts. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
Enable threat detection for Azure identity and access management
ID : Azure Security Benchmark LT-2 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced data security should be enabled on SQL Managed Instance | Audit each SQL Managed Instance without advanced data security. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Azure Defender for App Service should be enabled | Azure Defender for App Service leverages the scale of the cloud, and the visibility that Azure has as a cloud provider, to monitor for common web app attacks. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Azure Defender for Azure SQL Database servers should be enabled | Azure Defender for SQL provides functionality for surfacing and mitigating potential database vulnerabilities, detecting anomalous activities that could indicate threats to SQL databases, and discovering and classifying sensitive data. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Azure Defender for container registries should be enabled | Azure Defender for container registries provides vulnerability scanning of any images pulled within the last 30 days, pushed to your registry, or imported, and exposes detailed findings per image. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Azure Defender for Key Vault should be enabled | Azure Defender for Key Vault provides an additional layer of protection and security intelligence by detecting unusual and potentially harmful attempts to access or exploit key vault accounts. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Azure Defender for Kubernetes should be enabled | Azure Defender for Kubernetes provides real-time threat protection for containerized environments and generates alerts for suspicious activities. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Azure Defender for servers should be enabled | Azure Defender for servers provides real-time threat protection for server workloads and generates hardening recommendations as well as alerts about suspicious activities. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Azure Defender for SQL servers on machines should be enabled | Azure Defender for SQL provides functionality for surfacing and mitigating potential database vulnerabilities, detecting anomalous activities that could indicate threats to SQL databases, and discovering and classifying sensitive data. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Azure Defender for Storage should be enabled | Azure Defender for Storage provides detections of unusual and potentially harmful attempts to access or exploit storage accounts. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
Enable logging for Azure network activities
ID : Azure Security Benchmark LT-3 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Network traffic data collection agent should be installed on Linux virtual machines | Security Center uses the Microsoft Dependency agent to collect network traffic data from your Azure virtual machines to enable advanced network protection features such as traffic visualization on the network map, network hardening recommendations and specific network threats. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.1-preview |
| Network traffic data collection agent should be installed on Windows virtual machines | Security Center uses the Microsoft Dependency agent to collect network traffic data from your Azure virtual machines to enable advanced network protection features such as traffic visualization on the network map, network hardening recommendations and specific network threats. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.1-preview |
| Network Watcher should be enabled | Network Watcher is a regional service that enables you to monitor and diagnose conditions at a network scenario level in, to, and from Azure. Scenario level monitoring enables you to diagnose problems at an end to end network level view. Network diagnostic and visualization tools available with Network Watcher help you understand, diagnose, and gain insights to your network in Azure. | auditIfNotExists | 1.1.0 |
Enable logging for Azure resources
ID : Azure Security Benchmark LT-4 Ownership : Shared
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auditing on SQL server should be enabled | Auditing on your SQL Server should be enabled to track database activities across all databases on the server and save them in an audit log. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Diagnostic logs in App Services should be enabled | Audit enabling of diagnostic logs on the app. This enables you to recreate activity trails for investigation purposes if a security incident occurs or your network is compromised | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Resource logs in Azure Data Lake Store should be enabled | Audit enabling of resource logs. This enables you to recreate activity trails to use for investigation purposes; when a security incident occurs or when your network is compromised | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 4.0.1 |
| Resource logs in Azure Stream Analytics should be enabled | Audit enabling of resource logs. This enables you to recreate activity trails to use for investigation purposes; when a security incident occurs or when your network is compromised | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 4.0.1 |
| Resource logs in Batch accounts should be enabled | Audit enabling of resource logs. This enables you to recreate activity trails to use for investigation purposes; when a security incident occurs or when your network is compromised | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 4.0.1 |
| Resource logs in Data Lake Analytics should be enabled | Audit enabling of resource logs. This enables you to recreate activity trails to use for investigation purposes; when a security incident occurs or when your network is compromised | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 4.0.1 |
| Resource logs in Event Hub should be enabled | Audit enabling of resource logs. This enables you to recreate activity trails to use for investigation purposes; when a security incident occurs or when your network is compromised | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 4.0.1 |
| Resource logs in IoT Hub should be enabled | Audit enabling of resource logs. This enables you to recreate activity trails to use for investigation purposes; when a security incident occurs or when your network is compromised | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.1 |
| Resource logs in Key Vault should be enabled | Audit enabling of resource logs. This enables you to recreate activity trails to use for investigation purposes when a security incident occurs or when your network is compromised | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 4.0.1 |
| Resource logs in Logic Apps should be enabled | Audit enabling of resource logs. This enables you to recreate activity trails to use for investigation purposes; when a security incident occurs or when your network is compromised | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 4.0.1 |
| Resource logs in Search services should be enabled | Audit enabling of resource logs. This enables you to recreate activity trails to use for investigation purposes; when a security incident occurs or when your network is compromised | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 4.0.1 |
| Resource logs in Service Bus should be enabled | Audit enabling of resource logs. This enables you to recreate activity trails to use for investigation purposes; when a security incident occurs or when your network is compromised | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 4.0.1 |
| Resource logs in Virtual Machine Scale Sets should be enabled | It is recommended to enable Logs so that activity trail can be recreated when investigations are required in the event of an incident or a compromise. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.1 |
Centralize security log management and analysis
ID : Azure Security Benchmark LT-5 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auto provisioning of the Log Analytics agent should be enabled on your subscription | To monitor for security vulnerabilities and threats, Azure Security Center collects data from your Azure virtual machines. Data is collected by the Log Analytics agent, formerly known as the Microsoft Monitoring Agent (MMA), which reads various security-related configurations and event logs from the machine and copies the data to your Log Analytics workspace for analysis. We recommend enabling auto provisioning to automatically deploy the agent to all supported Azure VMs and any new ones that are created. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Log Analytics agent health issues should be resolved on your machines | Security Center uses the Log Analytics agent, formerly known as the Microsoft Monitoring Agent (MMA). To make sure your virtual machines are successfully monitored, you need to make sure the agent is installed on the virtual machines and properly collects security events to the configured workspace. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| Log Analytics agent should be installed on your Linux Azure Arc machines | This policy audits Linux Azure Arc machines if the Log Analytics agent is not installed. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.0-preview |
| Log Analytics agent should be installed on your virtual machine for Azure Security Center monitoring | This policy audits any Windows/Linux virtual machines (VMs) if the Log Analytics agent is not installed which Security Center uses to monitor for security vulnerabilities and threats | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| Log Analytics agent should be installed on your virtual machine scale sets for Azure Security Center monitoring | Security Center collects data from your Azure virtual machines (VMs) to monitor for security vulnerabilities and threats. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| Log Analytics agent should be installed on your Windows Azure Arc machines | This policy audits Windows Azure Arc machines if the Log Analytics agent is not installed. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.0-preview |
Incident Response
Preparation - setup incident notification
ID : Azure Security Benchmark IR-2 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email notification for high severity alerts should be enabled | To ensure the relevant people in your organization are notified when there is a potential security breach in one of your subscriptions, enable email notifications for high severity alerts in Security Center. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Email notification to subscription owner for high severity alerts should be enabled | To ensure your subscription owners are notified when there is a potential security breach in their subscription, set email notifications to subscription owners for high severity alerts in Security Center. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Subscriptions should have a contact email address for security issues | To ensure the relevant people in your organization are notified when there is a potential security breach in one of your subscriptions, set a security contact to receive email notifications from Security Center. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
Detection and analysis - create incidents based on high quality alerts
ID : Azure Security Benchmark IR-3 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced data security should be enabled on SQL Managed Instance | Audit each SQL Managed Instance without advanced data security. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Azure Defender for App Service should be enabled | Azure Defender for App Service leverages the scale of the cloud, and the visibility that Azure has as a cloud provider, to monitor for common web app attacks. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Azure Defender for Azure SQL Database servers should be enabled | Azure Defender for SQL provides functionality for surfacing and mitigating potential database vulnerabilities, detecting anomalous activities that could indicate threats to SQL databases, and discovering and classifying sensitive data. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Azure Defender for container registries should be enabled | Azure Defender for container registries provides vulnerability scanning of any images pulled within the last 30 days, pushed to your registry, or imported, and exposes detailed findings per image. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Azure Defender for Key Vault should be enabled | Azure Defender for Key Vault provides an additional layer of protection and security intelligence by detecting unusual and potentially harmful attempts to access or exploit key vault accounts. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Azure Defender for Kubernetes should be enabled | Azure Defender for Kubernetes provides real-time threat protection for containerized environments and generates alerts for suspicious activities. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Azure Defender for servers should be enabled | Azure Defender for servers provides real-time threat protection for server workloads and generates hardening recommendations as well as alerts about suspicious activities. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Azure Defender for SQL servers on machines should be enabled | Azure Defender for SQL provides functionality for surfacing and mitigating potential database vulnerabilities, detecting anomalous activities that could indicate threats to SQL databases, and discovering and classifying sensitive data. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Azure Defender for Storage should be enabled | Azure Defender for Storage provides detections of unusual and potentially harmful attempts to access or exploit storage accounts. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
Detection and analysis - prioritize incidents
ID : Azure Security Benchmark IR-5 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced data security should be enabled on SQL Managed Instance | Audit each SQL Managed Instance without advanced data security. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Azure Defender for App Service should be enabled | Azure Defender for App Service leverages the scale of the cloud, and the visibility that Azure has as a cloud provider, to monitor for common web app attacks. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Azure Defender for Azure SQL Database servers should be enabled | Azure Defender for SQL provides functionality for surfacing and mitigating potential database vulnerabilities, detecting anomalous activities that could indicate threats to SQL databases, and discovering and classifying sensitive data. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Azure Defender for container registries should be enabled | Azure Defender for container registries provides vulnerability scanning of any images pulled within the last 30 days, pushed to your registry, or imported, and exposes detailed findings per image. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Azure Defender for Key Vault should be enabled | Azure Defender for Key Vault provides an additional layer of protection and security intelligence by detecting unusual and potentially harmful attempts to access or exploit key vault accounts. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Azure Defender for Kubernetes should be enabled | Azure Defender for Kubernetes provides real-time threat protection for containerized environments and generates alerts for suspicious activities. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Azure Defender for servers should be enabled | Azure Defender for servers provides real-time threat protection for server workloads and generates hardening recommendations as well as alerts about suspicious activities. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
| Azure Defender for SQL servers on machines should be enabled | Azure Defender for SQL provides functionality for surfacing and mitigating potential database vulnerabilities, detecting anomalous activities that could indicate threats to SQL databases, and discovering and classifying sensitive data. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| Azure Defender for Storage should be enabled | Azure Defender for Storage provides detections of unusual and potentially harmful attempts to access or exploit storage accounts. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
Posture and Vulnerability Management
Sustain secure configurations for Azure services
ID : Azure Security Benchmark PV-2 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azure Policy Add-on for Kubernetes service (AKS) should be installed and enabled on your clusters | Azure Policy Add-on for Kubernetes service (AKS) extends Gatekeeper v3, an admission controller webhook for Open Policy Agent (OPA), to apply at-scale enforcements and safeguards on your clusters in a centralized, consistent manner. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| CORS should not allow every resource to access your API App | Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) should not allow all domains to access your API app. Allow only required domains to interact with your API app. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| CORS should not allow every resource to access your Function Apps | Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) should not allow all domains to access your Function app. Allow only required domains to interact with your Function app. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| CORS should not allow every resource to access your Web Applications | Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) should not allow all domains to access your web application. Allow only required domains to interact with your web app. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| Do not allow privileged containers in Kubernetes cluster | This policy does not allow privileged containers creation in a Kubernetes cluster. This policy is generally available for Kubernetes Service (AKS), and preview for AKS Engine and Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes. For instructions on using this policy, visit https://aka.ms/kubepolicydoc . | audit, deny, disabled | 5.0.1 |
| Ensure API app has 'Client Certificates (Incoming client certificates)' set to 'On' | Client certificates allow for the app to request a certificate for incoming requests. Only clients that have a valid certificate will be able to reach the app. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| Ensure container CPU and memory resource limits do not exceed the specified limits in Kubernetes cluster | This policy ensures container CPU and memory resource limits are defined and do not exceed the specified limits in a Kubernetes cluster. This policy is generally available for Kubernetes Service (AKS), and preview for AKS Engine and Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes. For instructions on using this policy, visit https://aka.ms/kubepolicydoc . | audit, deny, disabled | 5.0.1 |
| Ensure containers listen only on allowed ports in Kubernetes cluster | This policy enforces containers to listen only on allowed ports in a Kubernetes cluster. This policy is generally available for Kubernetes Service (AKS), and preview for AKS Engine and Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes. For instructions on using this policy, visit https://aka.ms/kubepolicydoc . | audit, deny, disabled | 5.0.1 |
| Ensure only allowed container images in Kubernetes cluster | This policy ensures only allowed container images are running in a Kubernetes cluster. This policy is generally available for Kubernetes Service (AKS), and preview for AKS Engine and Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes. For instructions on using this policy, visit https://aka.ms/kubepolicydoc . | audit, deny, disabled | 5.0.1 |
| Ensure services listen only on allowed ports in Kubernetes cluster | This policy enforces services to listen only on allowed ports in a Kubernetes cluster. This policy is generally available for Kubernetes Service (AKS), and preview for AKS Engine and Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes. For instructions on using this policy, visit https://aka.ms/kubepolicydoc . | audit, deny, disabled | 5.0.1 |
| Ensure WEB app has 'Client Certificates (Incoming client certificates)' set to 'On' | Client certificates allow for the app to request a certificate for incoming requests. Only clients that have a valid certificate will be able to reach the app. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| Function apps should have 'Client Certificates (Incoming client certificates)' enabled | Client certificates allow for the app to request a certificate for incoming requests. Only clients with valid certificates will be able to reach the app. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Kubernetes cluster containers should not share host process ID or host IPC namespace | This policy blocks pod containers from sharing the host process ID namespace and host IPC namespace in a Kubernetes cluster. This policy is generally available for Kubernetes Service (AKS), and preview for AKS Engine and Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes. For instructions on using this policy, visit https://aka.ms/kubepolicydoc/ . | audit, deny, disabled | 2.0.1 |
| Kubernetes cluster containers should only use allowed AppArmor profiles | This policy ensures containers only use allowed AppArmor profiles in a Kubernetes cluster. This policy is generally available for Kubernetes Service (AKS), and preview for AKS Engine and Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes. For instructions on using this policy, visit https://aka.ms/kubepolicydoc . | audit, deny, disabled | 2.0.1 |
| Kubernetes cluster containers should only use allowed capabilities | This policy ensures containers only use allowed capabilities in a Kubernetes cluster. This policy is generally available for Kubernetes Service (AKS), and preview for AKS Engine and Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes. For instructions on using this policy, visit https://aka.ms/kubepolicydoc . | audit, deny, disabled | 2.0.1 |
| Kubernetes cluster containers should run with a read only root file system | This policy ensures containers run with a read only root file system in a Kubernetes cluster. This policy is generally available for Kubernetes Service (AKS), and preview for AKS Engine and Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes. For instructions on using this policy, visit https://aka.ms/kubepolicydoc/ . | audit, deny, disabled | 2.0.1 |
| Kubernetes cluster pod hostPath volumes should only use allowed host paths | This policy ensures pod hostPath volumes can only use allowed host paths in a Kubernetes Cluster. This policy is generally available for Kubernetes Service (AKS), and preview for AKS Engine and Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes. For instructions on using this policy, visit https://aka.ms/kubepolicydoc . | audit, deny, disabled | 2.0.1 |
| Kubernetes cluster pods and containers should only run with approved user and group IDs | This policy controls the user, primary group, supplemental group and file system group IDs that pods and containers can use to run in a Kubernetes Cluster. This policy is generally available for Kubernetes Service (AKS), and preview for AKS Engine and Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes. For instructions on using this policy, visit https://aka.ms/kubepolicydoc . | audit, deny, disabled | 2.0.1 |
| Kubernetes cluster pods should only use approved host network and port range | This policy controls pod access to the host network and the allowable host port range in a Kubernetes cluster. This policy is generally available for Kubernetes Service (AKS), and preview for AKS Engine and Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes. For instructions on using this policy, visit https://aka.ms/kubepolicydoc . | audit, deny, disabled | 2.0.1 |
| Kubernetes clusters should not allow container privilege escalation | This policy does not allow containers to use privilege escalation in a Kubernetes cluster. This policy is generally available for Kubernetes Service (AKS), and preview for AKS Engine and Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes. For instructions on using this policy, visit https://aka.ms/kubepolicydoc . | audit, deny, disabled | 2.0.1 |
| Remote debugging should be turned off for API Apps | Remote debugging requires inbound ports to be opened on API apps. Remote debugging should be turned off. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| Remote debugging should be turned off for Function Apps | Remote debugging requires inbound ports to be opened on function apps. Remote debugging should be turned off. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
| Remote debugging should be turned off for Web Applications | Remote debugging requires inbound ports to be opened on a web application. Remote debugging should be turned off. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.0 |
Sustain secure configurations for compute resources
ID : Azure Security Benchmark PV-4 Ownership : Shared
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vulnerabilities in container security configurations should be remediated | Audit vulnerabilities in security configuration on machines with Docker installed and display as recommendations in Azure Security Center. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| Vulnerabilities in security configuration on your machines should be remediated | Servers which do not satisfy the configured baseline will be monitored by Azure Security Center as recommendations | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| Vulnerabilities in security configuration on your virtual machine scale sets should be remediated | Audit the OS vulnerabilities on your virtual machine scale sets to protect them from attacks. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
Perform software vulnerability assessments
ID : Azure Security Benchmark PV-6 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A vulnerability assessment solution should be enabled on your virtual machines | Audits virtual machines to detect whether they are running a supported vulnerability assessment solution. A core component of every cyber risk and security program is the identification and analysis of vulnerabilities. Azure Security Center's standard pricing tier includes vulnerability scanning for your virtual machines at no extra cost. Additionally, Security Center can automatically deploy this tool for you. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| Vulnerabilities in Azure Container Registry images should be remediated | Container image vulnerability assessment scans your registry for security vulnerabilities on each pushed container image and exposes detailed findings for each image (powered by Qualys). Resolving the vulnerabilities can greatly improve your containers' security posture and protect them from attacks. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Vulnerabilities on your SQL databases should be remediated | Monitor Vulnerability Assessment scan results and recommendations for how to remediate database vulnerabilities. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 4.0.0 |
| Vulnerability assessment should be enabled on SQL Managed Instance | Audit each SQL Managed Instance which doesn't have recurring vulnerability assessment scans enabled. Vulnerability assessment can discover, track, and help you remediate potential database vulnerabilities. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Vulnerability assessment should be enabled on your SQL servers | Audit Azure SQL servers which do not have recurring vulnerability assessment scans enabled. Vulnerability assessment can discover, track, and help you remediate potential database vulnerabilities. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
Rapidly and automatically remediate software vulnerabilities
ID : Azure Security Benchmark PV-7 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ensure that 'Java version' is the latest, if used as a part of the API app | Periodically, newer versions are released for Java either due to security flaws or to include additional functionality. Using the latest Python version for API apps is recommended in order to take advantage of security fixes, if any, and/or new functionalities of the latest version. Currently, this policy only applies to Linux web apps. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Ensure that 'Java version' is the latest, if used as a part of the Function app | Periodically, newer versions are released for Java software either due to security flaws or to include additional functionality. Using the latest Java version for Function apps is recommended in order to take advantage of security fixes, if any, and/or new functionalities of the latest version. Currently, this policy only applies to Linux web apps. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Ensure that 'Java version' is the latest, if used as a part of the Web app | Periodically, newer versions are released for Java software either due to security flaws or to include additional functionality. Using the latest Java version for web apps is recommended in order to take advantage of security fixes, if any, and/or new functionalities of the latest version. Currently, this policy only applies to Linux web apps. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Ensure that 'PHP version' is the latest, if used as a part of the API app | Periodically, newer versions are released for PHP software either due to security flaws or to include additional functionality. Using the latest PHP version for API apps is recommended in order to take advantage of security fixes, if any, and/or new functionalities of the latest version. Currently, this policy only applies to Linux web apps. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Ensure that 'PHP version' is the latest, if used as a part of the WEB app | Periodically, newer versions are released for PHP software either due to security flaws or to include additional functionality. Using the latest PHP version for web apps is recommended in order to take advantage of security fixes, if any, and/or new functionalities of the latest version. Currently, this policy only applies to Linux web apps. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Ensure that 'Python version' is the latest, if used as a part of the API app | Periodically, newer versions are released for Python software either due to security flaws or to include additional functionality. Using the latest Python version for API apps is recommended in order to take advantage of security fixes, if any, and/or new functionalities of the latest version. Currently, this policy only applies to Linux web apps. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Ensure that 'Python version' is the latest, if used as a part of the Function app | Periodically, newer versions are released for Python software either due to security flaws or to include additional functionality. Using the latest Python version for Function apps is recommended in order to take advantage of security fixes, if any, and/or new functionalities of the latest version. Currently, this policy only applies to Linux web apps. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Ensure that 'Python version' is the latest, if used as a part of the Web app | Periodically, newer versions are released for Python software either due to security flaws or to include additional functionality. Using the latest Python version for web apps is recommended in order to take advantage of security fixes, if any, and/or new functionalities of the latest version. Currently, this policy only applies to Linux web apps. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
| Kubernetes Services should be upgraded to a non-vulnerable Kubernetes version | Upgrade your Kubernetes service cluster to a later Kubernetes version to protect against known vulnerabilities in your current Kubernetes version. Vulnerability CVE-2019-9946 has been patched in Kubernetes versions 1.11.9+, 1.12.7+, 1.13.5+, and 1.14.0+ | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
| System updates on virtual machine scale sets should be installed | Audit whether there are any missing system security updates and critical updates that should be installed to ensure that your Windows and Linux virtual machine scale sets are secure. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| System updates should be installed on your machines | Missing security system updates on your servers will be monitored by Azure Security Center as recommendations | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
Endpoint Security
Use Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
ID : Azure Security Benchmark ES-1 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azure Defender for servers should be enabled | Azure Defender for servers provides real-time threat protection for server workloads and generates hardening recommendations as well as alerts about suspicious activities. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.3 |
Use centrally managed modern anti-malware software
ID : Azure Security Benchmark ES-2 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Endpoint protection solution should be installed on virtual machine scale sets | Audit the existence and health of an endpoint protection solution on your virtual machines scale sets, to protect them from threats and vulnerabilities. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| Monitor missing Endpoint Protection in Azure Security Center | Servers without an installed Endpoint Protection agent will be monitored by Azure Security Center as recommendations | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| Windows Defender Exploit Guard should be enabled on your machines | Windows Defender Exploit Guard uses the Azure Policy Guest Configuration agent. Exploit Guard has four components that are designed to lock down devices against a wide variety of attack vectors and block behaviors commonly used in malware attacks while enabling enterprises to balance their security risk and productivity requirements (Windows only). | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.1.1 |
Ensure anti-malware software and signatures are updated
ID : Azure Security Benchmark ES-3 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Endpoint protection solution should be installed on virtual machine scale sets | Audit the existence and health of an endpoint protection solution on your virtual machines scale sets, to protect them from threats and vulnerabilities. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
| Monitor missing Endpoint Protection in Azure Security Center | Servers without an installed Endpoint Protection agent will be monitored by Azure Security Center as recommendations | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 3.0.0 |
Backup and Recovery
Ensure regular automated backups
ID : Azure Security Benchmark BR-1 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azure Backup should be enabled for Virtual Machines | Ensure protection of your Azure Virtual Machines by enabling Azure Backup. Azure Backup is a secure and cost effective data protection solution for Azure. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Geo-redundant backup should be enabled for Azure Database for MariaDB | Azure Database for MariaDB allows you to choose the redundancy option for your database server. It can be set to a geo-redundant backup storage in which the data is not only stored within the region in which your server is hosted, but is also replicated to a paired region to provide recovery option in case of a region failure. Configuring geo-redundant storage for backup is only allowed during server create. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Geo-redundant backup should be enabled for Azure Database for MySQL | Azure Database for MySQL allows you to choose the redundancy option for your database server. It can be set to a geo-redundant backup storage in which the data is not only stored within the region in which your server is hosted, but is also replicated to a paired region to provide recovery option in case of a region failure. Configuring geo-redundant storage for backup is only allowed during server create. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Geo-redundant backup should be enabled for Azure Database for PostgreSQL | Azure Database for PostgreSQL allows you to choose the redundancy option for your database server. It can be set to a geo-redundant backup storage in which the data is not only stored within the region in which your server is hosted, but is also replicated to a paired region to provide recovery option in case of a region failure. Configuring geo-redundant storage for backup is only allowed during server create. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Long-term geo-redundant backup should be enabled for Azure SQL Databases | This policy audits any Azure SQL Database with long-term geo-redundant backup not enabled. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
Encrypt backup data
ID : Azure Security Benchmark BR-2 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azure Backup should be enabled for Virtual Machines | Ensure protection of your Azure Virtual Machines by enabling Azure Backup. Azure Backup is a secure and cost effective data protection solution for Azure. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Geo-redundant backup should be enabled for Azure Database for MariaDB | Azure Database for MariaDB allows you to choose the redundancy option for your database server. It can be set to a geo-redundant backup storage in which the data is not only stored within the region in which your server is hosted, but is also replicated to a paired region to provide recovery option in case of a region failure. Configuring geo-redundant storage for backup is only allowed during server create. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Geo-redundant backup should be enabled for Azure Database for MySQL | Azure Database for MySQL allows you to choose the redundancy option for your database server. It can be set to a geo-redundant backup storage in which the data is not only stored within the region in which your server is hosted, but is also replicated to a paired region to provide recovery option in case of a region failure. Configuring geo-redundant storage for backup is only allowed during server create. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Geo-redundant backup should be enabled for Azure Database for PostgreSQL | Azure Database for PostgreSQL allows you to choose the redundancy option for your database server. It can be set to a geo-redundant backup storage in which the data is not only stored within the region in which your server is hosted, but is also replicated to a paired region to provide recovery option in case of a region failure. Configuring geo-redundant storage for backup is only allowed during server create. | Audit, Disabled | 1.0.1 |
| Long-term geo-redundant backup should be enabled for Azure SQL Databases | This policy audits any Azure SQL Database with long-term geo-redundant backup not enabled. | AuditIfNotExists, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
Mitigate risk of lost keys
ID : Azure Security Benchmark BR-4 Ownership : Customer
|
Name
(Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) |
Version
(GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key vaults should have purge protection enabled | Malicious deletion of a key vault can lead to permanent data loss. A malicious insider in your organization can potentially delete and purge key vaults. Purge protection protects you from insider attacks by enforcing a mandatory retention period for soft deleted key vaults. No one inside your organization or Microsoft will be able to purge your key vaults during the soft delete retention period. | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.1.1 |
| Key vaults should have soft delete enabled | Deleting a key vault without soft delete enabled permanently deletes all secrets, keys, and certificates stored in the key vault. Accidental deletion of a key vault can lead to permanent data loss. Soft delete allows you to recover an accidentally deleted key vault for a configurable retention period. | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.0.2 |
Note
Availability of specific Azure Policy definitions may vary in Azure Government and other national clouds.
Next steps
Additional articles about Azure Policy:
- Regulatory Compliance overview.
- See the initiative definition structure .
- Review other examples at Azure Policy samples .
- Review Understanding policy effects .
- Learn how to remediate non-compliant resources .


THE ADVOCATE A film review by Raymond Johnston Copyright 1994 Raymond Johnston
Director: Leslie Megahey Starring: Colin Firth , Ian Holm, Donald Pleasence, Amina Annabi, and Nicol Williamson A BBC/ CiBy 2000 film distributed in the US by Miramax
The absolute worst thing about this film is the poorly conceived US ad campaign. Faced with an offbeat tough sell project, Miramax decided to try to use their old CRYING GAME strategy and hope for lightning to strike twice. The ad implores you not to reveal the identity of the client. The still in the ad shows a minor character in a costume not seen in the film holding a sword. There is almost no swordplay in the film. Those looking for a sword and sorcery epic will be sorely disappointed. Fans of THE RETURN OF MARTIN GUERRE and THE NAME OF THE ROSE, however, are in for a real treat.
The very first frame of the film gives the secret away. A mule is about to be executed for her role in an unnatural act. There was a time when animals were held as culpable for there actions as humans. The film takes place in the middle ages. Colin Firth is a Paris trained lawyer who has taken up practice in a small town near the French border. Much of the film is a play on the city boy in the country motifs. With the time left over from his various romances, Firth uses his new-fangled legal notions as a kind of public defender. Firth's modern notions of justice simply have no place among the great (and quite literally) unwashed. His attempts to use logic in cases simply confounds the court. Like modern lawyers, he then has to resort to exploiting centuries old loopholes to delay cases and waste the court's money, hoping they will simply drop the case.
 From this case we see many of the popular notions of the Middle Ages, questions of whether non-Christians are counted as people or something less, of whether the person is on trial or the evil spirit that compelled the person.
These legal questions become the backdrop to a well handled mystery. For reasons everybody except the advocate seem to know, everybody wants the pig case disposed of quickly with few questions asked, except of course, the Gypsies who own the pig.
The mystery is the heart of this often quite funny and quite erotic little film. Although the film takes place on the French border, it is in English with an excellent cast of mostly Shakespearean actors. Besides Firth, Nicol Williamson and Donald Pleasence create quite believable characters. Amina Annabi gives a very earthy and sensual performance as the Gypsy.
This film was cut from the European original to get an R rating. In Great Britain it was released as THE HOUR OF THE PIG.
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