1---2name: azure-security3description: Expert knowledge for Azure Security development including best practices, decision making, security, configuration, integrations & coding patterns, and deployment. Use when securing AKS images, CMK/Key Vault keys, antimalware, Customer Lockbox, or Gov cloud workloads, and other Azure Security related development tasks. Not for Azure Defender For Cloud (use azure-defender-for-cloud), Azure DDoS Protection (use azure-ddos-protection), Azure Firewall (use azure-firewall), Azure Web Application Firewall (use azure-web-application-firewall).4---5# Azure Security Skill
6
7This skill provides expert guidance for Azure Security. Covers best practices, decision making, security, configuration, integrations & coding patterns, and deployment. It combines local quick-reference content with remote documentation fetching capabilities.
8
9## How to Use This Skill
10
11> **IMPORTANT for Agent**: Use the **Category Index** below to locate relevant sections. For categories with line ranges (e.g., `L35-L120`), use `read_file` with the specified lines. For categories with file links (e.g., `[security.md](security.md)`), use `read_file` on the linked reference file
12
13> **IMPORTANT for Agent**: If `metadata.generated_at` is more than 3 months old, suggest the user pull the latest version from the repository. If `mcp_microsoftdocs` tools are not available, suggest the user install it: [Installation Guide](https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/mcp/blob/main/README.md)
14
15This skill requires **network access** to fetch documentation content:
16- **Preferred**: Use `mcp_microsoftdocs:microsoft_docs_fetch` with query string `from=learn-agent-skill`. Returns Markdown.
17- **Fallback**: Use `fetch_webpage` with query string `from=learn-agent-skill&accept=text/markdown`. Returns Markdown.
18
19## Category Index
20
21| Category | Lines | Description |
22|----------|-------|-------------|
23| Best Practices | L34-L58 | End-to-end Azure security guidance: hardening IaaS/PaaS, identity and access, network and operational security, backups and ransomware resilience, secrets management, and service-specific checklists. |
24| Decision Making | L59-L64 | Guidance on choosing Azure security options, including comparing security features in US Gov clouds and selecting appropriate key management (Key Vault, managed keys, BYOK). |
25| Security | L65-L97 | Azure platform and workload security: threat modeling mitigations, AKS image validation, hardware/firmware integrity, Customer Lockbox, CMKs, network/SQL security, and operational controls. |
26| Configuration | L98-L108 | Configuring Azure security features: antimalware, container scanning (Dependabot/Copacetic), firewall rules, CMK encryption, logging/auditing, TLS changes, ransomware protections, and Customer Lockbox alerts. |
27| Integrations & Coding Patterns | L109-L114 | Guides for generating signed SBOMs for container images and scripting Microsoft Antimalware configuration in Azure using PowerShell. |
28| Deployment | L115-L120 | Guides for signing and verifying container images with Notation in Azure Pipelines/GitHub Actions, plus comparing security feature availability in Azure vs Azure Government. |
29
30### Best Practices
31| Topic | URL |
32|-------|-----|
33| Harden Azure Marketplace images before publishing | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/azure-marketplace-images |
34| Design Azure backup and restore plans against ransomware | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/backup-plan-to-protect-against-ransomware |
35| Implement Azure security best practices and patterns | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/best-practices-and-patterns |
36| Apply Azure data security and encryption best practices | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/data-encryption-best-practices |
37| Use Azure SQL database security checklist | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/database-security-checklist |
38| Secure Azure IaaS workloads and virtual machines | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/iaas |
39| Apply Azure identity and access control best practices | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/identity-management-best-practices |
40| Implement incident response processes for Azure | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/incident-response-overview |
41| Apply Azure network security best practices | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/network-best-practices |
42| Apply Azure operational security best practices | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/operational-best-practices |
43| Secure Azure App Service PaaS applications | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/paas-applications-using-app-services |
44| Secure PaaS databases with Azure SQL and Synapse | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/paas-applications-using-sql |
45| Secure PaaS applications using Azure Storage | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/paas-applications-using-storage |
46| Design and operate secure Azure PaaS deployments | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/paas-deployments |
47| Detect and respond to ransomware in Azure | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/ransomware-detect-respond |
48| Prepare Azure environments for ransomware resilience | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/ransomware-prepare |
49| Harden Azure Firewall Premium for ransomware defense | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/ransomware-protection-with-azure-firewall |
50| Protect and manage secrets in Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/secrets-best-practices |
51| Harden Azure Service Fabric clusters and security | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/service-fabric-best-practices |
52| Implement Microsoft Entra identity security checklist | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/steps-secure-identity |
53| Prevent Azure subdomain takeover via DNS hygiene | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/subdomain-takeover |
54
55### Decision Making
56| Topic | URL |
57|-------|-----|
58| Compare security feature availability in US Government clouds | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/feature-availability |
59| Choose the right Azure key management solution | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/key-management-choose |
60
61### Security
62| Topic | URL |
63|-------|-----|
64| Enforce AKS image signature validation with Ratify and Azure Policy | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/container-secure-supply-chain/articles/validating-image-signatures-using-ratify-aks |
65| Implement auditing and logging mitigations with Threat Modeling Tool | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/develop/threat-modeling-tool-auditing-and-logging |
66| Implement authentication mitigations with Threat Modeling Tool | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/develop/threat-modeling-tool-authentication |
67| Mitigate authorization threats in Threat Modeling Tool | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/develop/threat-modeling-tool-authorization |
68| Secure communications based on Threat Modeling Tool findings | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/develop/threat-modeling-tool-communication-security |
69| Harden configuration management using Threat Modeling Tool mitigations | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/develop/threat-modeling-tool-configuration-management |
70| Implement cryptography mitigations from Threat Modeling Tool | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/develop/threat-modeling-tool-cryptography |
71| Secure exception management using Threat Modeling Tool guidance | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/develop/threat-modeling-tool-exception-management |
72| Apply secure input validation mitigations from Threat Modeling Tool | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/develop/threat-modeling-tool-input-validation |
73| Protect sensitive data using Threat Modeling Tool mitigations | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/develop/threat-modeling-tool-sensitive-data |
74| Implement secure session management from Threat Modeling Tool | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/develop/threat-modeling-tool-session-management |
75| Apply Azure-specific security controls to AI workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/ai-security-best-practices |
76| Use Azure Certificate Authority roots and requirements | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/azure-certificate-authority-details |
77| Enforce platform code integrity in Azure production | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/code-integrity |
78| Understand and configure Azure Customer Lockbox access | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/customer-lockbox-faq |
79| Control Microsoft engineer data access with Customer Lockbox | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/customer-lockbox-overview |
80| Identify Azure services supporting customer-managed keys | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/encryption-customer-managed-keys-support |
81| Secure Azure hardware, firmware, and supply chain | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/firmware |
82| Maintain Azure infrastructure integrity and security controls | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/infrastructure-integrity |
83| Monitor Azure infrastructure for security and vulnerabilities | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/infrastructure-monitoring |
84| Manage and operate the Azure production network securely | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/infrastructure-operations |
85| Understand Azure SQL Database security capabilities | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/infrastructure-sql |
86| Apply firmware measured boot and host attestation in Azure | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/measured-boot-host-attestation |
87| Apply Azure operational security checklist controls | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/operational-checklist |
88| Follow Azure penetration testing rules and scope | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/pen-testing |
89| Verify Azure platform integrity and secure host lifecycle | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/platform |
90| Secure access to the Azure production network | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/production-network |
91| Control and audit access to customer data in Azure | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/protection-customer-data |
92| Use Secure Boot to protect Azure virtual machines | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/secure-boot |
93
94### Configuration
95| Topic | URL |
96|-------|-----|
97| Configure Dependabot and Copacetic for container security | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/container-secure-supply-chain/articles/container-secure-supply-chain-implementation/cssc-depenadabot-quickstart |
98| Configure Microsoft Antimalware for Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/antimalware |
99| Plan firewall rules using Azure domain patterns | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/azure-domains |
100| Configure alternate email notifications for Customer Lockbox | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/customer-lockbox-alternative-email |
101| Configure Azure security logging and auditing | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/log-audit |
102| Adapt to Azure managed TLS feature changes | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/managed-tls-changes |
103| Configure Azure-native features for ransomware protection | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/ransomware-features-resources |
104
105### Integrations & Coding Patterns
106| Topic | URL |
107|-------|-----|
108| Create and attach signed SBOMs to container images | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/container-secure-supply-chain/articles/attach-sbom |
109| Use PowerShell to configure Microsoft Antimalware in Azure | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/antimalware-code-samples |
110
111### Deployment
112| Topic | URL |
113|-------|-----|
114| Sign and verify container images in Azure Pipelines with Notation | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/container-secure-supply-chain/articles/notation-ado-task-sign |
115| Sign container images with Notation in GitHub Actions | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/container-secure-supply-chain/articles/notation-sign-gha |
116| Verify container image signatures with Notation in GitHub Actions | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/container-secure-supply-chain/articles/verify-gha |
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