Professional Guide: Advanced Threat Analytics with Cyber Audit Compliance in Microsoft Sentinel

This professional guide enhances your expertise in leveraging Microsoft Sentinel’s Workbooks, Log Analytics, and real-time practices to ensure advanced threat detection and compliance with cybersecurity audit standards using live data from Microsoft Defender.

Prerequisites for Cyber Audit Compliance

1. Microsoft Sentinel Deployment: Fully operational in your Azure environment.
2. Microsoft Defender Integration: Actively sending security event data to Sentinel.
3. Log Analytics Workspace: Configured and optimized for compliance-related queries.
4. Access Permissions: Roles such as Security Reader, Security Administrator, or Contributor for Sentinel.
5. Audit Frameworks: Identify applicable standards (e.g., ISO 27001, NIST CSF, GDPR, PCI-DSS) and ensure data mapping aligns with compliance requirements.

Step 1: Implementing Real-Time Visualization with Compliance Metrics

1.1 Build Dashboards with Compliance Insights

1. Access Workbooks:
   • Open Sentinel from the Azure portal.
   • Navigate to Workbooks.
2. Create a Compliance Workbook:
   • Start with a blank workbook named “Compliance Dashboard”.
   • Focus on key metrics such as failed logins, unpatched vulnerabilities, and audit trail completeness.
3. Add Compliance-Specific Queries:
   • Example KQL for failed logins by users:

     SigninLogs
     | where ResultType == "50053"  // Failed login
     | summarize Count = count() by UserPrincipalName, bin(TimeGenerated, 1h)
     | render barchart

   • Include metrics for audit log integrity:

     AuditLogs
     | where TimeGenerated > ago(24h)
     | summarize Count = count() by ActivityDisplayName
     | render table

4. Enhance Visualization:
   • Add KPIs such as “Percentage of Critical Alerts Investigated” or “Number of Compliance Breaches Over Time”.
   • Use charts to track non-compliant incidents.
5. Auto-Refresh Settings:
   • Set the workbook to auto-refresh every 1 or 5 minutes for real-time compliance tracking.
6. Save and Distribute:
   • Share the compliance workbook with audit and security teams.

Step 2: Real-Time Compliance Monitoring

2.1 Integrate Compliance Data Sources

1. Verify integration of relevant data sources in Data Connectors.
   • Examples include Microsoft 365 Defender, Azure AD, and external audit tools.
2. Ensure that log retention policies meet compliance standards (e.g., retaining logs for at least 1 year for PCI-DSS).

2.2 Analyze Compliance-Related Trends

1. Query for Non-Compliant Incidents:
   • Example query for unauthorized access attempts:

     SecurityIncident
     | where Severity == "High" and Title contains "Unauthorized"
     | summarize Count = count() by bin(TimeGenerated, 1h), Title
     | render timechart

2. Audit Control Dashboards:
   • Track incidents flagged as non-compliant.
   • Ensure alignment with frameworks by mapping specific queries to audit control objectives.

Step 3: Detecting and Addressing Anomalies for Compliance

3.1 Advanced Detection for Compliance Breaches

1. Query to detect unauthorized data access attempts:

   AuditLogs
   | where OperationName == "DataAccess" and Result == "Failure"
   | summarize Count = count() by InitiatedBy, bin(TimeGenerated, 1h)
   | where Count > 5

2. Correlate with threat intelligence for additional insights:
   • Use this data to generate reports for auditors.

3.2 Monitoring Real-Time Policy Violations

1. Query for violations of conditional access policies:

   ConditionalAccessEvents
   | where Status == "Failure"
   | summarize Count = count() by PolicyName, bin(TimeGenerated, 1h)

2. Set alerts for repeated violations to enforce compliance.

Step 4: Automating Compliance Responses

4.1 Compliance-Focused Analytic Rules

1. Create Scheduled Query Rules:
   • Query: Use compliance-specific queries such as detecting unauthorized access.
   • Thresholds: Configure rules to trigger for recurring policy violations or breaches.
2. Enable Incident Auto-Creation:
   • Automatically log incidents flagged for compliance reviews.

4.2 Automate Reporting and Notifications

1. Build Playbooks with Azure Logic Apps:
   • Example workflow:
     • Trigger: Incident flagged for compliance breach.
     • Actions: Notify audit teams, log incident details in compliance systems, and enforce corrective actions (e.g., disabling non-compliant accounts).
2. Schedule periodic compliance reports:
   • Send monthly reports summarizing compliance status and trends to stakeholders.

Step 5: Real-Time Cyber Audit Scenarios

Scenario 1: Unauthorized Data Access

• Situation: Multiple failed attempts to access sensitive data.
• Action: Alert compliance teams, disable offending accounts, and generate a report for auditors.

Scenario 2: Policy Violations

• Situation: Repeated conditional access policy violations detected.
• Action: Trigger automated remediation actions and notify stakeholders.

Scenario 3: Non-Compliant Incident Trends

• Situation: Increase in incidents flagged as non-compliant.
• Action: Escalate to leadership, review policies, and implement additional controls.

Conclusion

This guide integrates advanced threat analytics with cyber audit compliance to meet regulatory standards while proactively addressing security threats. Leverage Sentinel’s real-time capabilities and automation to streamline audit processes and maintain a secure, compliant environment. Continuously update compliance workbooks and rules to adapt to changing regulations and threat landscapes.