Security and identity management are critical pillars of any cloud platform, and Microsoft Azure is no exception. For those preparing for the AZ-900 certification, understanding these concepts is essential. This post breaks down the key components of security and identity management within Azure, helping you build a strong foundation for the exam and real-world cloud security.
1. Azure Active Directory (Azure AD)
Azure AD is Microsoft’s cloud-based identity and access management service.
- It enables users to sign in and access resources securely.
- Supports Single Sign-On (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and conditional access policies.
2. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
RBAC helps you manage who has access to Azure resources, what they can do, and what areas they can access.
- Assigns roles to users, groups, or service principals.
- Common roles include Owner, Contributor, and Reader.
- Ensures the principle of least privilege is followed.
3. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring two or more verification methods.
- Helps protect against compromised credentials.
- Can be enforced through Azure AD for all or selected users.
4. Azure Security Center
Azure Security Center provides unified security management and threat protection across Azure environments.
- Monitors security configurations and vulnerabilities.
- Provides recommendations to improve your security posture.
5. Azure Firewall and Network Security Groups (NSGs)
- Azure Firewall: A managed cloud-based network security service that protects your Azure Virtual Network resources.
- Network Security Groups: Act as virtual firewalls for individual subnets or VMs to filter network traffic.
6. Azure Key Vault
A service to safeguard cryptographic keys and secrets used by cloud applications and services.
- Protects keys, certificates, passwords, and other secrets.
- Helps meet compliance and security requirements.
7. Security Best Practices for AZ-900
- Always use RBAC to restrict access.
- Enable MFA for all users, especially admins.
- Regularly monitor with Azure Security Center.
- Protect sensitive information using Azure Key Vault.
- Keep network traffic secure using NSGs and Azure Firewall.
FAQs: AZ-900 Security & Identity Management
Q1: What is Azure Active Directory?
Azure AD is Microsoft’s cloud identity service that manages user identities and access to resources securely.
Q2: How does Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) work?
RBAC assigns permissions to users or groups based on roles, controlling access to Azure resources at different levels.
Q3: Why is Multi-Factor Authentication important?
MFA adds a second layer of verification, reducing the risk of unauthorized access due to compromised passwords.
Q4: What does Azure Security Center do?
It provides continuous security assessment and recommendations to help protect your Azure workloads from threats.
Q5: How can Azure Key Vault help secure my applications?
Azure Key Vault securely stores and manages keys, secrets, and certificates, reducing the risk of exposure.