10 Steps to Improve Your Azure Security

Azure is one of the most popular cloud platforms in the world, and for good reason: it offers unparalleled convenience, scalability, and efficiency. However, like all cloud environments, it also provides gateways that, if left unsecured, malicious actors can exploit to steal data and disrupt operations.

This checklist will detail ten comprehensive methods – from your users and internal processes, to technology and cloud architecture – that will strengthen your Microsoft Azure environment against cyber risks.

People

Your staff are your first line of defence, and should know how to recognise and deal with suspicious activity, like phishing attacks, and how to handle data. By understanding the intricacies of cloud infrastructure and the security measures they require, your team can actively contribute to protecting sensitive data and ensuring business continuity.

1. Shared Responsibility

While Microsoft ensures the security of the cloud infrastructure itself – which includes everything from the physical security of data centres, to the safety of the Azure platform and foundational services – your users also need to be held responsible for the way they use and access the cloud and its resources. This includes configuring virtual machines, encrypting data, and ensuring application security.

Keeping users updated through regular training on security protocols and cyber threats is pivotal. This knowledge enables them to utilise Azure's features securely and stay vigilant against potential threats.

2. Multi-Factor Authentication

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a security mechanism that requires users to provide two or more verification methods before they can access an account or system. These methods can include a password, a security token or one-time code, or biometric recognition, such as a fingerprint.

MFA introduces an added layer of security beyond just passwords. Even if a malicious actor obtains a user's credentials they cannot gain access without the second verification method. For Azure, enabling MFA ensures that user accounts, especially those with high privileges, are much more difficult to break into.

3. Access Controls

As a company grows and changes, employees' roles might change: some may leave, and new ones will join. Regular reviews ensure accounts only have the necessary access levels, and old accounts are deactivated.

Least privilege: This principle dictates that users should have only the minimum levels of access to accounts, data, and systems necessary to perform their jobs. By limiting access, the potential damage caused by a compromised account is also limited.

Access controls: These are the security measures put in place to decide who can access what within a system. They can be based on roles, responsibilities, or other criteria.

Identity and Access Management: Intune, part of Microsoft's broader Identity and Access Management (IAM) solution, helps manage and secure devices in an enterprise setting. It aids in ensuring that only trusted users, from trusted devices, using trusted apps, can access company data.

Processes

Processes and procedures serve as the backbone of every security framework. Within Azure, they ensure consistent and predictable responses to varying situations, from regular operational tasks to unexpected security incidents. Implementing and refining systematic processes minimises human error and ensures proactive measures are in place.

4. Azure Security Center

Effective processes rely on consistent management and refinement of security tools over time. The Azure Security Center provides unified security management across hybrid cloud workloads through advanced threat protection, adaptive application controls, and a holistic view of the security posture of all Azure resources.

The power of this centralised hub lies in routine management. Establishing regular check-ins and reviews within the Security Center ensures that security measures evolve with the threat landscape and changing business operations. By incorporating these systematic processes, organisations can anticipate potential security risks, swiftly identify anomalies, and respond promptly.

5. Logging and Auditing

Monitoring operations within Azure is crucial; not only does it allow organisations to troubleshoot operational issues, but it also offers insights into potential security anomalies or breaches. Two pivotal tools that aid with this monitoring are:

Azure Monitor: A comprehensive service that provides full-stack monitoring, advanced analytics, and intelligent insights to ensure the availability and performance of applications.

Azure Activity Log: This log offers a record of operations on each Azure resource. It provides insights into operations that were carried out via Azure Resource Manager, giving visibility into any actions that potentially impact a resource.

These tools ensure that any deviation from the standard operation, especially those hinting at potential security issues, are immediately flagged for review, allowing for swift and decisive action.

6. Recovery Strategies

While preventative measures are vital, no system is 100% infallible, and it's critical to have a recovery strategy ready for any unexpected incident. These strategies establish protocols that dictate how and when to backup data, apps, and resources, the frequency of recovery drills, and what to do in the event of an incident.

Microsoft Azure offers several tools tailored for recovery:

Azure Backup: This service provides simplified data protection, ensuring backups are consistent and shielding encrypted data from ransomware attacks.

Azure Site Recovery: An integral part of a disaster recovery strategy, this tool ensures business continuity by orchestrating and automating the replication of Azure virtual machines.

Technology

Technological tools automate, enforce, and enhance security measures, bridging the gaps left by human oversight. The right software solutions provide a layer of protection designed and refined to counter new threats, ensuring Azure environments remain impregnable to a vast majority of potential security breaches.

7. Encryption

Encryption is a cornerstone of data protection. By scrambling data so it can’t be read without the proper decryption key, this ensures confidentiality and integrity. Encryption serves as a potent defence mechanism, shielding data both when it is stored (at rest) and when it is being transmitted (in transit).

Microsoft Azure offers a plethora of built-in encryption services, such as Azure Blob Storage Service, which encrypts data at rest by default. Meanwhile, for data in transit, Azure recommends and often enforces the use of Transport Layer Security (TLS).

8. Installing Patches

New vulnerabilities are regularly discovered, and it’s crucial to fix them before they’re exploited. These fixes usually come in the form of software patches: reactive measures from Microsoft, addressing and rectifying identified weak points in the system. By swiftly applying these patches, organisations prevent attackers from leveraging these vulnerabilities.

Similarly, service updates encompass enhanced security features to increase Azure’s defence mechanisms. Neglecting these updates leaves the environment exposed – like leaving your door unlocked. Timely patching and updating ensures your Azure infrastructure remains secure.

9. Secure Applications

Ensuring applications are devoid of vulnerabilities and are fortified against threats is paramount in the broader scheme of Azure security. A vulnerable application can serve as a gateway for attackers to access your Azure environment.

Azure provides a myriad of tools to increase application security, such as Azure Application Gateway, which offers a web application firewall (WAF) to protect web apps from common web-based threats. Additionally, following best practices like regular vulnerability assessments, secure coding practices, and integration of security in the DevOps process will greatly enhance application security.

Architecture

Azure’s infrastructure is the bedrock upon which digital operations are built. Designing and configuring your Azure architecture with security at the forefront mitigates potential vulnerabilities, ensuring the infrastructure is resilient to cyber threats.

10. Configure Network Security Groups:

Network Security Groups (NSGs) act as a virtual firewall for your Azure resources, providing a layer of security that filters and governs network traffic to and from various Azure resources.

When architecting Azure infrastructure, NSGs play a crucial role in managing and controlling both inbound and outbound network traffic. Strategically placing NSGs at key junctions or points within the network architecture ensures that only legitimate traffic flows through, while potentially malicious or unnecessary traffic is curtailed. This ensures each segment of the network is optimally protected, and traffic can flow efficiently and securely.

Check Off Every Security Step with Expert Guidance

With a meticulous approach centred around people, processes, technology, and architecture, you can build and maintain a resilient and secure Azure environment.

As a certified Microsoft Partner, Essential Tech has the knowledge, expertise, and resources to ensure your Azure infrastructure is robust, secure, and primed for success.