Azure Sentinel, Microsoft’s centralized platform for security management, offers an innovative feature known as Livestream that proves extremely effective for gathering real-time insights into your organizational data. This feature becomes particularly useful when you intend to monitor hunting queries in the context of the SC-200 Microsoft Security Operations Analyst exam.
The Livestream feature allows you to tune into your organization’s real-time telemetry. While most organizations perform regular query checks every few hours or minutes, depending upon their need, Livestream allows you to keep an eye on the results of these queries as they pour in. This continuous monitoring can immensely help to identify unusual patterns or anomalies and take immediate action.
Benefits of Using Livestream for Hunting Queries
Using Livestream to monitor hunting queries can offer the following benefits:
- Real-time Monitoring: Data can be streamed continually, allowing for virtually instant detection of possible threats or anomalies.
- Interactive Exploration of Data: You have the freedom to interactively explore data as events stream in.
- Effective Trouble-shooting: Rapid insights from Livestream can help solve operational issues faster.
- Identification of Security Incidents: Livestream helps detect potential security incidents from the hunting queries.
Steps for Using Livestream to Monitor Hunting Queries
To use Livestream for monitoring hunting queries, follow the steps below:
- Open Azure Sentinel on the Azure portal.
- Go to the “Hunting” page.
- Above the hunting query list, click on “Livestream.”
With the above steps, you can view real-time telemetry that can be stopped, or a new query can be crafted for different streams. Hunting queries can also be converted into analytical rules and alerts.
Without question, exam tilt SC-200 Microsoft Security Operations Analyst focuses on your ability to mitigate threats using Microsoft Security solutions such as Azure Sentinel. With Azure Sentinel’s Livestream, you have access to a powerful tool at your disposal. It’s essential to get a good grasp of the uses, benefits, and practical implementations of Livestream to ace the pertaining sections of the SC-200 examination and ultimately enhance your organization’s security infrastructure.
Example: Monitoring Failed Sign-In Attempts
For instance, to construct a Livestream query for monitoring failed sign-in attempts, you can use the following Azure Monitor Logs query:
SigninLogs
| where ResultType == “Failure”
| project TimeGenerated, Identity, IPAddress, ResultType
In this example, failed sign-in attempts can be quickly identified, and necessary preemptive actions can be taken to avoid potential security threats.
Conclusion
To conclude, Microsoft Azure Sentinel’s Livestream serves as a potent weapon for a Security Operations Analyst, enabling advanced threat hunting and real-time insights. Using Azure Sentinel Livestream for monitoring hunting queries efficiently is an integral skill to master for the SC-200 examination and, more importantly, a real-world job role as a Microsoft Certified Security Operations Analyst.
Practice Test
True or False: Azure provides the feature of Livestream to monitor hunting queries in real-time.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Azure provides Livestream to monitor the queries related to hunting operations in real time that allows analysts to closely monitor and understand the ongoing situation.
Livestream in Azure supports queries related to:
- A. IoT Devices
- B. Workload servers
- C. Multimedia streaming
- D. None of the above
Answer: B. Workload servers
Explanation: Livestream in Azure monitors the queries of workload servers for hunting operations. It doesn’t support multimedia streaming or IoT device queries.
True or False: Livestream in Azure allows you to respond to potential threats immediately?
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Livestream provides real-time updates, allowing security analysts to respond to perceived threats as quickly as they occur.
What is an essential component to monitor hunting queries using Livestream in Azure?
- A. Microsoft Threat Protection
- B. Azure AD
- C. Azure Sentinel
- D. Microsoft Defender
Answer: C. Azure Sentinel
Explanation: The Azure Sentinel, which gathers data across all users, devices, applications, and infrastructure, is critical for monitoring hunting queries using Livestream.
True or False: Livestream is best used for long-term query monitoring.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Livestream is designed for real-time, situational awareness and thus is not ideal for long-term monitoring of queries.
Which of the following can you NOT do with Livestream in Azure?
- A. View real-time query results
- B. Pause query execution
- C. Alter query results
- D. Stop query execution
Answer: C. Alter query results
Explanation: With Livestream, you can view real-time query results, pause, and stop query execution but you cannot modify the results of a query.
True or False: Livestream automatically stops after 24 hours of monitoring.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: To conserve system resources, Livestream sessions automatically stop after 24 hours of monitoring.
The Livestream feature is generally used during:
- A. Peak traffic hours
- B. Expected attack hours
- C. Both
- D. None of the above
Answer: C. Both
Explanation: Livestream is typically used to monitor queries during peak traffic hours and expected attack hours to identify potential threats and anomalies.
True or False: You can run multiple Livestream sessions simultaneously.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: You can open and run multiple Livestream sessions at the same time, which allows you to monitor different queries and situations simultaneously.
What type of queries does Livestream support?
- A. KQL (Kusto Query Language) only
- B. SQL only
- C. Both SQL and KQL
- D. Neither SQL nor KQL
Answer: A. KQL (Kusto Query Language) only
Explanation: Livestream in Azure supports KQL (Kusto Query Language) for monitoring hunting queries. It does not support SQL queries.
True or False: An alert is automatically generated when a match is found in Livestream.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Livestream does not automatically generate alerts. Its purpose is to provide a real-time response environment, not to serve as an alert system.
Which of the following features are available in Livestream?
- A. Exporting of results
- B. Real-time monitoring
- C. Both A and B
- D. Neither A nor B
Answer: C. Both A and B
Explanation: With Livestream in Azure, you can view query results in real-time and also have the option to export these results.
True or False: For using the Livestream feature in Azure, SC-200 certified professionals must be assigned to Microsoft 365 Compliance Manager roles.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: For using the Livestream feature, SC-200 certified professionals do not necessarily need to be assigned to Microsoft 365 Compliance Manager roles. Relevant Azure roles with permission to view and run hunting queries are sufficient.
You can customize and save your own hunting queries for use in:
- A. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
- B. Livestream
- C. Both A and B
- D. None of the Above
Answer: A. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Explanation: While you can customize and save your own hunting queries in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, this functionality is not available in Livestream.
True or False: Livestream can be used to monitor your organization’s entire cybersecurity environment.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Livestream, as a part of Azure Sentinel, is designed for real-time monitoring of queries related to the entire cybersecurity environment of an organization.
Interview Questions
What is Livestream in the context of Azure Sentinel?
Livestream is a feature in Azure Sentinel that allows you to view events in near real-time, providing continuous monitoring for your Azure and non-Azure environment.
How does Livestream help in monitoring hunting queries in Azure Sentinel?
Livestream allows you to watch the output of a query in real-time. This can be used to run hunting queries and monitor their output continuously, making it easier to respond to security alerts as soon as they occur.
In which scenarios is the use of Livestream ideal while using hunting queries?
Livestream is ideal to use in scenarios where the analyst needs to monitor real-time data, specific to events happening right now. It aids in real-time tracking of hunting queries that are strategized to detect anomalous activities.
With regards to Azure Sentinel, what is a hunting query?
A hunting query in Azure Sentinel is a proactive tool that allows security analysts to detect potential security threats that aren’t easily identifiable by automated security solutions.
How can you start using Livestream in Azure Sentinel?
To start using Livestream in Azure Sentinel, navigate to the desired workspace, click on “Livestream” in the left-hand pane, and input or choose your hunting query to start monitoring it in real-time.
Can you perform Livestream operations via APIs in Azure Sentinel?
Yes, the Livestream feature in Azure Sentinel can be programmatically accessed and controlled using relevant APIs offered by Azure.
What types of data sources does Livestream support for real-time monitoring?
Livestream supports all data types that are ingested into Azure Sentinel, including logs from Azure services, Microsoft 365, third-party solutions, and on-premises devices.
Can Livestream identify security threats on its own?
No, Livestream is designed to observe and stream data in real-time. The identification of security threats depends on the hunting query that is being run and monitored by the security analyst.
Is there a limitation on the run time of Livestream in Azure Sentinel?
Yes, in Azure Sentinel, a Livestream session can run for a limited period. After that the session will be automatically closed.
Can you perform real-time data analytics using Livestream?
While Livestream allows you to observe data in real-time, it doesn’t provide real-time analytics capabilities. However, it can be coupled with other Azure services or tools that are designed for data analytics to provide insights as data streams in.
Can Livestream be used for long-term storage or historic data retention?
No, Livestream is not designed for long-term data storage or for retaining historical data. It is primarily used for real-time monitoring.
Could you modify a hunting query while it is being monitored with Livestream?
No, once a hunting query is being monitored with Livestream, it cannot be modified. You would need to stop the current Livestream session and start a new one with the modified hunting query.
What happens if anomaly activities are detected through hunting queries in Livestream?
If anomaly activities are detected, alerts can be created within Azure Sentinel, which can then be assigned and investigated by security operations teams.
Is the Livestream tool equipped to handle vast data streams in Azure Sentinel?
Livestream is designed to handle large volumes of data, but how much data can be processed depends on the configuration and capacity of your Azure environment.
What is the difference between Livestream and Log Analytics in Azure Sentinel?
While both platforms allow you to analyze your logs, the key difference is Livestream allows you to view event results in real-time, whereas Log Analytics is geared towards checking on historic log data.