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They enable security analysts to detect and respond to threats that may bypass standard detection methods. The Microsoft Security Operations Analyst SC-200 certification exam tests a candidate’s ability to create and manage these custom detection rules and alerts within Microsoft security solutions like Microsoft 365 Defender and Azure Sentinel.
Custom detections are user-defined rules that generate alerts when specific patterns of activity or behavior that may indicate a threat are identified in the data sources being monitored. These rules can be based on various signals, such as log files, network data, and user behaviors.
Microsoft 365 Defender allows the creation of custom alert rules to tailor detection to specific organizational needs.
Azure Sentinel provides an even more advanced set of tools for creating, managing, and deploying custom detection rules.
Feature | Microsoft 365 Defender | Azure Sentinel |
---|---|---|
Query Language | KQL | KQL |
Response Actions | Predefined actions | Playbooks (Azure Logic Apps) |
Data Sources | Microsoft 365 data | Multiple, including third-party |
Rule Testing | Alert rule test feature | Rule logic test environment |
Integration | Microsoft 365 suite | Broad (various data connectors) |
Advanced Analytics | Limited compared to Sentinel | Advanced ML and AI capabilities |
In conclusion, configuring and managing custom detections and alerts is an essential skill for a Security Operations Analyst. It ensures that an organization can respond to new and emerging threats, tailoring detection mechanisms to the specific landscape of its IT environment. Moreover, mastering the use of Kusto Query Language and the ability to adapt and tune custom rules is a defining trait of an effective analyst, crucial for success in the SC-200 Microsoft Security Operations Analyst exam.
Explanation: While KQL is widely used for creating custom detections, Microsoft Sentinel also allows the use of other tools such as built-in templates and Microsoft Sentinel notebooks to create custom rules.
Answer: A, B, C
Explanation: When configuring a custom alert rule, you can set the schedule for how often the rule runs, define the severity of the alert, and configure what actions should be triggered when the alert fires. Data sources are not configurable as part of the rule since they are predefined based on the log data.
Explanation: Integration requires configuration steps to ensure that alerts from Microsoft 365 Defender and Azure Defender properly flow into Microsoft Sentinel.
Answer: D. ML behavior analytics
Explanation: ML behavior analytics rules leverage machine learning to detect anomalies and potential threats without relying on known attack patterns, unlike scheduled queries or fusion rules which typically require predefined patterns.
Explanation: Custom alerts can be set up with automated response actions that include the capability to resolve alerts based on certain conditions or after a certain action has been taken.
Answer: A, B, C
Explanation: A custom detection rule requires specific information such as how often the query runs (Query frequency), over which period of collected data (Query period), and a name for the rule (Rule name). Data retention policy is a separate configuration that does not need to be defined for each rule.
Explanation: A custom detection rule in Microsoft Sentinel can be configured to query across multiple data sources as long as they are available within Sentinel’s workspace.
Answer: B. To define automated responses to alerts
Explanation: Playbooks in Microsoft Sentinel are used to define and manage automated responses to alerts, often by using Azure Logic Apps.
Explanation: Microsoft Sentinel playbooks are based on Azure Logic Apps, which allows for using both built-in actions and custom actions defined within Logic Apps.
Answer: A, B, C
Explanation: When a custom alert fires, you can configure it to create an incident, send an email notification, or execute automated threat mitigation steps. Publishing a tweet is not a standard action for security alerts.
Explanation: In Microsoft Sentinel, you can enable or disable custom alert rules manually or by setting up a schedule using Azure Logic Apps or automation rules.
Custom detections are rules that you create to detect specific threats or activities in your environment.
You can create custom detections in the Microsoft Defender Security Center portal using the custom detection feature.
Examples of custom detections you can create in Microsoft Defender include detecting malicious PowerShell scripts, detecting lateral movement, and detecting specific file or registry changes.
You can manage custom detections in the Microsoft Defender Security Center portal by viewing and editing existing detections, creating new detections, and enabling or disabling detections.
Custom detections can help you better detect and respond to specific threats in your environment, improving the security of your organization.
Built-in detections are pre-configured detections provided by Microsoft, while custom detections are rules you create yourself to detect specific threats or activities.
You can configure alerts for custom detections in the Microsoft Defender Security Center portal by enabling the “Generate alerts for this detection” option when creating or editing a detection.
You can manage alerts in the Microsoft Defender Security Center portal by viewing and responding to alerts, marking alerts as false positives, and configuring alert settings.
The different alert severities in Microsoft Defender are high, medium, and low.
You can filter alerts in Microsoft Defender by severity using the Severity drop-down menu on the Alerts page in the Microsoft Defender Security Center portal.
You can configure email notifications for alerts in Microsoft Defender by configuring the “Email Notification Settings” in the Microsoft Defender Security Center portal.
You can create custom alert templates in Microsoft Defender by creating a JSON file with the desired template and uploading it to the Microsoft Defender Security Center portal.
You can use Power BI to analyze alert data in Microsoft Defender by connecting to the Microsoft Defender API and creating custom visualizations and dashboards.
You can use the Microsoft Graph API to manage alerts in Microsoft Defender by creating and modifying alerts programmatically.
Some best practices for managing custom detections and alerts in Microsoft Defender include regularly reviewing and updating detections, collaborating with other security teams, and continuously monitoring and tuning your alerting strategy.
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