Configure automated onboarding for Azure resources

Azure Security Center plays a significant role in automated onboarding for Azure resources. This technology allows the user to automatically deploy policies across their subscription. The Security Center standard tier provides numerous automated capabilities, such as security recommendations and security health monitoring.

Here’s how to configure automated onboarding for Azure resources via Azure Security Center:

• Navigate to Azure Security Center in the Azure portal.
• Click on the “Pricing & Settings” tile on Security Center’s main dashboard.
• Select the relevant subscription.
• In the Security Policy blade, under the “Data Collection” section, switch Auto Provisioning to “On.”
• Click “Save.”

With this, Azure Monitor Agent (the extension for Azure resources providing real-time data collection) will be automatically installed on all supported Azure virtual machines and virtual machine scale sets. Consequently, these resources will be automatically onboarded onto Azure Security Center.

Resource Group Deployment

Azure Resource Manager allows for the use of templates to deploy, update, and manage Azure resources within a resource group. The automation of resource group deployment can also contribute to automated onboarding in Azure.

Here’s a basic example of an ARM template for deploying a simple storage account:

{
"$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
"contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
"parameters": {
"storageAccountName": {
"type": "string",
"metadata": {
"description": "Unique DNS name for the Storage Account"
}
}
},
"resources": [{
"type": "Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts",
"apiVersion": "2020-08-01-preview",
"name": "[parameters('storageAccountName')]",
"location": "[resourceGroup().location]",
"sku": {
"name": "Standard_LRS"
},
"kind": "StorageV2",
"properties": {
"supportsHttpsTrafficOnly": true
}
}]
}

You can automatically manage deployments and configurations across your resources through such templates.

Use of Azure Policy

Azure Policy is another tool that can facilitate the automated onboarding process. Azure Policy evaluates your resources for non-compliance with assigned policies. For existing resources, Azure Policy does a compliance scan that comes in handy during automated deployment.

Here’s how to assign a policy:

• In Azure portal, go to “Policy.”
• On the “Policy” page, select “Assignments” and then click on “+ Assign Policy.”
• On the “Scope” tab, select your “Subscription” and “Resource Group,” then proceed by clicking the “Next” button.
• On the “Basics” tab, choose your policy definition and click “Next.”
• On the “Parameters” tab, set your preferred parameters and click “Next.”
• Review your settings in the “Review+create” tab, then click “Create” if everything is set.

Through automated onboarding, you’re not only poised for success in the SC-200 Microsoft Security Operations Analyst exam but can also bolster the security of your deployments and make sure that every user gets the seamless onboarding experience they need.

Remember, automated onboarding ensures uniformity in Azure resources and reduces the failure rate associated with manual configurations. Happy studying!

Practice Test

True/False: Azure Resource Manager templates can be used to automate the deployment of Azure resources.

• True
• False

Answer: True

Explanation: Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates can indeed be used for automating deployment. They help in streamlining resource management and deployment.

True/False: Azure Lighthouse offers automated onboarding for Azure resources.

• True
• False

Answer: True

Explanation: Azure Lighthouse enables automated onboarding by allowing service providers to manage Azure resources on customers’ behalf.

What is Azure Policy used for in relation to Azure resources?

• a) Monitoring Azure resources
• b) Securing Azure resources
• c) Managing Azure resources
• d) Automated onboarding of Azure resources

Answer: c) Managing Azure resources

Explanation: Azure Policy aids in the management of Azure resources by creating, assigning, and managing policies that enforce rules.

Which of the following can be used for automated onboarding in Azure?

• a) Azure Identity Protection
• b) Azure Active Directory
• c) Azure Lighthouse
• d) Azure Sentinel

Answer: c) Azure Lighthouse

Explanation: Azure Lighthouse enables automated onboarding by managing Azure resources on behalf of customers.

True/False: Azure Automation can automate processes within Azure and across external systems.

• True
• False

Answer: True

Explanation: Azure Automation has the ability to automate tasks inside Azure as well as other systems by using runbooks.

What does Azure Blueprints provide?

• a) It provides automated onboarding for Azure resources.
• b) It documents the architecture of Azure resources.
• c) It provides guidelines for building Azure resources.
• d) It provides templates for repetitive tasks in Azure.

Answer: a) It provides automated onboarding for Azure resources.

Explanation: Azure Blueprints enables repetitive deployments by specifying organization standards and patterns.

True/False: Azure Governance includes features for automated onboarding of resources.

• True
• False

Answer: True

Explanation: Azure Governance includes Azure Policy and Azure Blueprints, which can automate the deployment and management of Azure resources.

When should Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates be used?

• a) For automated onboarding of resources.
• b) For secure sign-ins.
• c) For threat protection.
• d) For resource management.

Answer: a) For automated onboarding of resources.

Explanation: ARM templates assist in automating the deployment of Azure resources.

Can Azure Security Center be used to automate onboarding of Azure resources?

• a) Yes
• b) No

Answer: a) Yes

Explanation: Azure Security Center can automate the securing of workloads, which includes the onboarding of resources.

True/False: Azure Advisor is the main tool for automated onboarding for Azure resources.

• True
• False

Answer: False

Explanation: Azure Advisor provides recommendations to optimize Azure resources, but it’s not specifically designed for automated onboarding.

How can Azure Lighthouse manage resources across different Azure tenants?

• a) Multidirectional Access
• b) Cross-tenant Access
• c) Unidirectional Access
• d) Intra-tenant Access

Answer: b) Cross-tenant Access

Explanation: Azure Lighthouse uses cross-tenant access for managing resources, allowing service providers to manage multiple Azure tenants from their own tenant.

What is the purpose of Azure Policy used for in automated onboarding?

• a) Detect resource configuration
• b) Get real-time security score
• c) Monitor all user sign-in activities
• d) Provide rights management

Answer: a) Detect resource configuration

Explanation: Azure Policy plays a major role in managing and deploying resources by enforcing rules for resource configurations.

True/False: The ‘log Analytics’ workspace in Azure is mainly for onboarding resources.

• True
• False

Answer: False

Explanation: The ‘Log Analytics’ workspace in Azure is mainly for the analysis and collection of security-related data, not specifically for onboarding resources.

Which stands true about Azure Lighthouse’s role in automated onboarding?

• a) Only for Service Providers
• b) Only for Customers
• c) For both Service Providers and Customers
• d) Not related to onboarding

Answer: c) For both Service Providers and Customers

Explanation: Azure Lighthouse enables automated onboarding for both service providers and customers by allowing management and onboarding of multiple tenants.

Automated onboarding of Azure resources could help in?

• a) Streamlining operations
• b) Reducing manpower
• c) Both a and b
• d) Neither a nor b

Answer: c) Both a and b

Explanation: Automated onboarding in Azure eases configuration and deployment, thereby streamlining operations and reducing manpower required for manual tasks.

Interview Questions

What is automated onboarding in Azure resources?

Automated onboarding in Azure resources refers to the process of adding new resources automatically to Azure security center for protection. This process helps to reduce the manual effort required for securing new resources.

How do you enable automatic provisioning in Azure Security Center?

To enable automatic provisioning in Azure Security Center, navigate to the Azure portal > Security Center > Pricing & settings > select the subscription > Auto Provisioning tab > set the Log Analytics agent to ‘On’.

What Azure services can you onboard automatically?

You can onboard services such as Virtual Machines (VMs), Time Series Insights, Databricks, Event Hub, Application Gateway, and Logic Apps automatically to Azure Security Center.

What is the role of Azure Policy in automated onboarding?

Azure Policy assists in the automated onboarding process by assigning a specific policy that enables Security Center’s auto provisioning capability, ensuring that new resources are automatically onboarded.

Which agent is deployed in the automatic provisioning settings of Azure security center for cloud resources?

Azure security center deploys the Log Analytics agent in the automatic provisioning settings for cloud resources.

Can you disable automated onboarding for specific Azure resources?

Yes, you can disable automated onboarding for specific Azure resources by using Azure Policy exceptions.

How can automatic onboarding for Azure resources enhance the security posture?

Automatic onboarding helps in ensuring that all Azure resources are protected and monitored in real-time, thus enhancing the overall security posture.

Is Automated onboarding available for on-premises servers and multi-cloud VMs?

No. As of current Azure Security Center capabilities, automated onboarding only applies to Azure resources.

What are some of the limitations of automated onboarding in Azure?

Some limitations include not being able to apply automatic onboarding to on-premises servers or multi-cloud VMs, and it does not support certain Azure resources like ACR, Key Vault, App Service, etc.

What happens if you disable automatic provisioning in Azure security center?

If you disable automatic provisioning, new resources added to Azure will not be automatically blessed by Azure Security Center, unless they are manually added.

Can you manually onboard resources to Azure Security Center after disabling automatic onboarding?

Yes, resources can be manually onboarded to Azure Security Center even after disabling automatic onboarding.

What are the prerequisites for configuring automated onboarding for Azure resources?

Prerequisites include having an Azure subscription, having owner permissions on the subscription, and Azure resources that support automated onboarding.

Are there any costs associated with automatic onboarding of Azure resources in Security Center?

Yes. Costs are dependent on the level of Security Center subscription and the number of resources that are onboarded. More detailed pricing can be found on the Azure Security Center pricing page.

Can you configure automated onboarding for Azure resources using PowerShell?

Yes. You can use Azure PowerShell cmdlets to configure automated onboarding of Azure resources.

Can automated onboarding in Azure Security Center protect containers?

Yes. Azure Security Center supports auto-provisioning for AKS and ASC for containers, providing threat protection for containers along with VMs as part of Azure Defender.