Description:
Microsoft Defender for Azure Cosmos DB provides advanced threat protection for Azure Cosmos DB instances, offering security features such as vulnerability assessments, threat detection, and real-time monitoring to help secure your Cosmos DB databases from potential security risks, misconfigurations, and unauthorized access. When Microsoft Defender for Azure Cosmos DB is enabled, it continuously monitors the database for suspicious activities, vulnerability exploits, and configuration errors that may pose a risk to the data stored within the Cosmos DB instance.
By setting Microsoft Defender for Azure Cosmos DB to 'On', you enable proactive security measures and get real-time alerts on potential threats, ensuring your Cosmos DB environment is continuously protected.
Rationale:
Enabling Microsoft Defender for Azure Cosmos DB helps:
Detect vulnerabilities: It helps identify misconfigurations and potential security flaws in your Cosmos DB environment before they can be exploited by attackers.
Improve threat detection: Defender continuously monitors for suspicious activity such as unauthorized access attempts, SQL injection, or data leaks.
Enhance compliance: Microsoft Defender for Cosmos DB helps meet compliance requirements by monitoring and alerting on security incidents that could violate regulatory standards.
Reduce security risks: Proactively identifying and mitigating threats in real-time ensures your Cosmos DB environment remains secure and compliant.
Impact:
Enabling Microsoft Defender for Azure Cosmos DB will:
Increase security by providing continuous monitoring and real-time alerts about potential threats and misconfigurations in your Cosmos DB environment.
Generate security alerts related to unauthorized access, misconfigurations, vulnerabilities, and suspicious activity, allowing administrators to act promptly.
Provide actionable insights with security recommendations and vulnerability assessments to help remediate issues before they become critical.
Enhance compliance by ensuring your Cosmos DB environment is continuously monitored and aligns with best practices for security and compliance.
Default Value:
By default, Microsoft Defender for Azure Cosmos DB is not enabled. It must be manually configured to 'On' to start receiving security monitoring and protection for your Cosmos DB resources.
Pre-requisites:
Azure subscription with Microsoft Defender for Cloud enabled.
Azure Cosmos DB accounts deployed in your environment.
Global Administrator or Security Administrator permissions to enable Microsoft Defender for Cosmos DB.
Audit:
Sign in to Azure portal as a Global Administrator or Security Administrator.
Navigate to Microsoft Defender for Cloud > Environment settings.
Ensure that Microsoft Defender for Azure Cosmos DB is set to 'On' for your Cosmos DB accounts.
Implementation Steps (Automated):
Sign in to Azure portal:
Use an account with Global Administrator or Security Administrator permissions.
Navigate to Microsoft Defender for Cloud:
In the Azure portal, go to Microsoft Defender for Cloud.
Go to Environment Settings:
Under Microsoft Defender for Cloud, select Environment settings.
Enable Microsoft Defender for Azure Cosmos DB:
In the Environment settings pane, locate the option for Microsoft Defender for Azure Cosmos DB.
Set this option to 'On' to enable monitoring and protection for your Cosmos DB instances.
Save the Configuration:
After setting Microsoft Defender for Azure Cosmos DB to 'On', click Save to apply the changes.
Verify the Setting:
After saving the configuration, verify that Microsoft Defender for Azure Cosmos DB is enabled for your Cosmos DB accounts.
Check the Microsoft Defender for Cloud dashboard to ensure that security alerts related to your Cosmos DB resources are being generated.
Monitor Alerts and Security Insights:
Start monitoring Defender for Azure Cosmos DB for security alerts, vulnerability assessments, and threat detection.
Use Azure Monitor or Microsoft Defender for Cloud dashboards to track security insights, threats, and recommendations related to your Cosmos DB environment.
Test the Configuration:
To test, simulate potential security events (such as unauthorized access attempts or misconfigurations) and verify that Microsoft Defender generates relevant alerts and security insights.
Communicate to Relevant Teams:
Notify DevOps, Database Administrators, or Security Operations teams about the new security monitoring and alerts provided by Microsoft Defender for Azure Cosmos DB.
Backout Plan (Automated):
Sign in to Azure portal:
Use an account with Global Administrator or Security Administrator permissions.
Navigate to Microsoft Defender for Cloud:
Go to Microsoft Defender for Cloud.
Go to Environment Settings:
Under Environment settings, find Microsoft Defender for Azure Cosmos DB.
Disable Microsoft Defender for Azure Cosmos DB:
Set the option to 'Off' to disable monitoring and protection for Cosmos DB instances.
Save the Configuration:
After disabling the setting, click Save to apply the changes.
Test the Reverted Configuration:
Verify that Microsoft Defender for Azure Cosmos DB is no longer monitoring your Cosmos DB accounts by checking the absence of security alerts in the Defender for Cloud dashboard.
Monitor the Reversion:
Ensure that the configuration has been successfully reverted by confirming that no further Defender for Azure Cosmos DB alerts are triggered.