Recent Discussions
Defender for Identity health issues - Not Closing
We have old issues and they're not being "Closed" as reported. Are we missing something or is this "Microsoft Defender for Identity" Health Issues process broken? Thanks! Closed: A health issue is automatically marked as Closed when Microsoft Defender for Identity detects that the underlying issue is resolved. If you have the Azure ATP (workspace name) Administrator role, you can also manually close a health issue.
IdentityLogonEvents - IsNtlmV1
Hi, I cannot find documentation on how the IdentityLogonEvents table's AdditionalFields.IsNtlmV1 populated. In a demo environment, I intentionally "enforced" NTLMv1 and made an NTLMv1 connection to a domain controller. On the DC's Security log, event ID 4624 shows correct info: Detailed Authentication Information: Logon Process: NtLmSsp Authentication Package: NTLM Transited Services: - Package Name (NTLM only): NTLM V1 Key Length: 128 On MDI side however it looks like this: (using the following KQL to display relevant info here: IdentityLogonEvents | where ReportId == @"f70dbd37-af8e-4e4e-a77d-b4250f9e0d0b" | extend todynamic(AdditionalFields) | project TimeGenerated, ActionType, Application, LogonType, Protocol,IsNtlmV1 = AdditionalFields.IsNtlmV1 ) TimeGenerated ActionType Application LogonType Protocol IsNtlmV1 Nov 28, 2025 10:43:05 PM LogonSuccess Active Directory Credentials validation Ntlm false Can someone please explain, under which circumstances will the IsNtlmV1 property become "true"? Thank you in advance
Azure Cloud HSM: Secure, Compliant & Ready for Enterprise Migration
Azure Cloud HSM is Microsoft’s single-tenant, FIPS 140-3 Level 3 validated hardware security module service, designed for organizations that need full administrative control over cryptographic keys in the cloud. It’s ideal for migration scenarios, especially when moving on-premises HSM workloads to Azure with minimal application changes. Onboarding & Availability No Registration or Allowlist Needed: Azure Cloud HSM is accessible to all customers no special onboarding or monetary policy required. Regional Availability: Private Preview: UK West Public Preview (March 2025): East US, West US, West Europe, North Europe, UK West General Availability (June 2025): All public, US Gov, and AGC regions where Azure Managed HSM is available Choosing the Right Azure HSM Solution Azure offers several key management options: Azure Key Vault (Standard/Premium) Azure Managed HSM Azure Payment HSM Azure Cloud HSM Cloud HSM is best for: Migrating existing on-premises HSM workloads to Azure Applications running in Azure VMs or Web Apps that require direct HSM integration Shrink-wrapped software in IaaS models supporting HSM key stores Common Use Cases: ADCS (Active Directory Certificate Services) SSL/TLS offload for Nginx and Apache Document and code signing Java apps needing JCE provider SQL Server TDE (IaaS) via EKM Oracle TDE Deployment Best Practices 1. Resource Group Strategy Deploy the Cloud HSM resource in a dedicated resource group (e.g., CHSM-SERVER-RG). Deploy client resources (VM, VNET, Private DNS Zone, Private Endpoint) in a separate group (e.g., CHSM-CLIENT-RG) 2. Domain Name Reuse Policy Each Cloud HSM requires a unique domain name, constructed from the resource name and a deterministic hash. Four reuse types: Tenant, Subscription, ResourceGroup, and NoReuse choose based on your naming and recovery needs. 3. Step-by-Step Deployment Provision Cloud HSM: Use Azure Portal, PowerShell, or CLI. Provisioning takes ~10 minutes. Register Resource Provider: (Register-AzResourceProvider -ProviderNamespace Microsoft.HardwareSecurityModules) Create VNET & Private DNS Zone: Set up networking in the client resource group. Create Private Endpoint: Connect the HSM to your VNET for secure, private access. Deploy Admin VM: Use a supported OS (Windows Server, Ubuntu, RHEL, CBL Mariner) and download the Azure Cloud HSM SDK from GitHub. Initialize and Configure Edit azcloudhsm_resource.cfg: Set the hostname to the private link FQDN for hsm1 (found in the Private Endpoint DNS config). Initialize Cluster: Use the management utility (azcloudhsm_mgmt_util) to connect to server 0 and complete initialization. Partition Owner Key Management: Generate the PO key securely (preferably offline). Store PO.key on encrypted USB in a physical safe. Sign the partition cert and upload it to the HSM. Promote Roles: Promote Precrypto Officer (PRECO) to Crypto Officer (CO) and set strong password Security, Compliance, and Operations Single-Tenant Isolation: Only your organization has admin access to your HSM cluster. No Microsoft Access: Microsoft cannot access your keys or credentials. FIPS 140-3 Level 3 Compliance: All hardware and firmware are validated and maintained by Microsoft and the HSM vendor. Tamper Protection: Physical and logical tamper events trigger key zeroization. No Free Tier: Billing starts upon provisioning and includes all three HSM nodes in the cluster. No Key Sharing with Azure Services: Cloud HSM is not integrated with other Azure services for key usage. Operational Tips Credential Management: Store PO.key offline; use environment variables or Azure Key Vault for operational credentials. Rotate credentials regularly and document all procedures. Backup & Recovery: Backups are automatic and encrypted; always confirm backup/restore after initialization. Support: All support is through Microsoft open a support request for any issues. Azure Cloud HSM vs. Azure Managed HSM Feature / Aspect Azure Cloud HSM Azure Managed HSM Deployment Model Single-tenant, dedicated HSM cluster (Marvell LiquidSecurity hardware) Multi-tenant, fully managed HSM service FIPS Certification FIPS 140-3 Level 3 FIPS 140-2 Level 3 Administrative Control Full admin control (Partition Owner, Crypto Officer, Crypto User roles) Azure manages HSM lifecycle; customers manage keys and RBAC Key Management Customer-managed keys and partitions; direct HSM access Azure-managed HSM; customer-managed keys via Azure APIs Integration PKCS#11, OpenSSL, JCE, KSP/CNG, direct SDK access Azure REST APIs, Azure CLI, PowerShell, Key Vault SDKs Use Cases Migration from on-prem HSMs, legacy apps, custom PKI, direct cryptographic ops Cloud-native apps, SaaS, PaaS, Azure-integrated workloads Network Access Private VNET only; not accessible by other Azure services Accessible by Azure services (e.g., Storage, SQL, Disk Encryption) Key Usage by Azure Services Not supported (no integration with Azure services) Supported (can be used for disk, storage, SQL encryption, etc.) BYOK/Key Import Supported (with key wrap methods) Supported (with Azure Key Vault import tools) Key Export Supported (if enabled at key creation) Supported (with exportable keys) Billing Hourly fee per cluster (3 HSMs per cluster); always-on Consumption-based (per operation, per key, per hour) Availability High availability via 3-node cluster; automatic failover and backup Geo-redundant, managed by Azure Firmware Management Microsoft manages firmware; customer cannot update Fully managed by Azure Compliance Meets strictest compliance (FIPS 140-3 Level 3, single-tenant isolation) Meets broad compliance (FIPS 140-2 Level 3, multi-tenant isolation) Best For Enterprises migrating on-prem HSM workloads, custom/legacy integration needs Cloud-native workloads, Azure service integration, simplified management When to Choose Each? Azure Cloud HSM is ideal if you: Need full administrative control and single-tenant isolation. Are migrating existing on-premises HSM workloads to Azure. Require direct HSM access for legacy or custom applications. Need to meet the highest compliance standards (FIPS 140-3 Level 3). Azure Managed HSM is best if you: Want a fully managed, cloud-native HSM experience. Need seamless integration with Azure services (Storage, SQL, Disk Encryption, etc.). Prefer simplified key management with Azure RBAC and APIs. Are building new applications or SaaS/PaaS solutions in Azure. Scenario Recommended Solution Migrating on-prem HSM to Azure Azure Cloud HSM Cloud-native app needing Azure service keys Azure Managed HSM Custom PKI or direct cryptographic operations Azure Cloud HSM SaaS/PaaS with Azure integration Azure Managed HSM Highest compliance, single-tenant isolation Azure Cloud HSM Simplified management, multi-tenant Azure Managed HSM Azure Cloud HSM is the go-to solution for organizations migrating HSM-backed workloads to Azure, offering robust security, compliance, and operational flexibility. By following best practices for onboarding, deployment, and credential management, you can ensure a smooth and secure transition to the cloud.Microsoft Sentinel Graph with Microsoft Security Solutions
Why I Chose Sentinel Graph Modern security operations demand speed and clarity. Attackers exploit complex relationships across identities, devices, and workloads. I needed a solution that could: Correlate signals across identity, endpoint and cloud workloads. Predict lateral movement and highlight blast radius for compromised accounts. Integrate seamlessly with Microsoft Defender, Entra ID and Purview. Sentinel Graph delivered exactly that, acting as the reasoning layer for AI-driven defense. What's new: Sentinel Graph Public Preview Sentinel Graph introduces: Graph-based threat hunting: Traverse relationships across millions of entities. Blast radius analysis: Visualize the impact of compromised accounts or assets. AI-powered reasoning: Built for integration with Security Copilot. Native integration with Microsoft Defender and Purview for unified security posture. Uncover Hidden Security Risks Sentinel Graph helps security teams: Expose lateral movement paths that attackers could exploit. Identify choke points where defenses can be strengthened. Reveal risky relationships between identities, devices, and resources that traditional tools miss. Prioritize remediation by visualizing the most critical nodes in an attack path. This capability transforms threat hunting from reactive alert triage to proactive risk discovery, enabling defenders to harden their environment before an attack occurs. How to Enable Defense at All Stages Sentinel Graph strengthens defense across: Prevention: Identify choke points and harden critical paths before attackers exploit them. Detection: Use graph traversal to uncover hidden attack paths and suspicious relationships. Investigation: Quickly pivot from alerts to full graph-based context for deeper analysis. Response: Contain threats faster by visualizing blast radius and isolating impacted entities. This end-to-end approach ensures security teams can anticipate, detect, and respond with precision. How I Implemented It Step 1: Enabling Sentinel Graph If you already have the Sentinel Data Lake, the graph is auto provisioned when you sign in to the Microsoft Defender portal. Hunting graph and blast radius experiences appear directly in Defender. New to Data Lake? Use the Sentinel Data Lake onboarding flow to enable both the data lake and graph. Step 2: Integration with Microsoft Defender Practical examples from my project: Query: Show me all entities connected to this suspicious IP address. → Revealed lateral movement attempts across multiple endpoints. Query: Map the blast radius of a compromised account. → Identified linked service principals and privileged accounts for isolation. Step 3: Integration with Microsoft Purview In Purview Insider Risk Management, follow Data Risk Graph setup instructions. In Purview Data Security Investigations, enable Data Risk Graph for sensitive data flow analysis. Example: Query: Highlight all paths where sensitive data intersects with external connectors. → Helped detect risky data exfiltration paths. Step 4: AI-Powered Insights Using Microsoft Security Copilot, I asked: Predict the next hop for this attacker based on current graph state. Identify choke points in this attack path. This reduced investigation time and improved proactive defense. If you want to experience the power of Microsoft Sentinel Graph, here’s how you can get started Enable Sentinel Graph In your Sentinel workspace, turn on the Sentinel Data Lake. The graph will be auto provisioned when you sign in to the Microsoft Defender portal. Connect Microsoft Security Solutions Use built-in connectors to integrate Microsoft Defender, Microsoft Entra ID, and Microsoft Purview. This ensures unified visibility across identities, endpoints, and data. Explore Graph Queries Start hunting with Sentinel Notebooks or take it a step further by integrating with Microsoft Security Copilot for natural language investigations. Example: “Show me the blast radius of a compromised account.” or “Find everything connected to this suspicious IP address.” You can sign up here for a free preview of Sentinel graph MCP tools, which will also roll out starting December 1, 2025.Know MCP risks before you deploy!
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is emerging as a powerful standard for enabling AI agents to interact with tools and data. However, like any evolving technology, MCP introduces new security challenges that organizations must address before deploying it in production environments. Major MCP Vulnerabilities MCP’s flexibility comes with risks. Here are the most critical vulnerabilities: Prompt Injection Attackers embed hidden instructions in user input, manipulating the model to trigger unauthorized MCP actions and bypass safety rules. Tool Poisoning Malicious MCP servers provide misleading tool descriptions or parameters, tricking agents into leaking sensitive data or executing harmful commands. Remote Code Execution Untrusted servers can inject OS-level commands through compromised endpoints, enabling full control over the host environment. Unauthenticated Access Rogue MCP servers bypass authentication and directly call sensitive tools, extracting internal data without user consent. Confused Deputy (OAuth Proxy) A malicious server misuses OAuth tokens issued for a trusted agent, performing unauthorized actions under a legitimate identity. MCP Configuration Poisoning Attackers silently modify approved configuration files so agents execute malicious commands as if they were part of the original setup. Token or Credential Theft Plaintext MCP config files expose API keys, cloud credentials, and access tokens, making them easy targets for malware or filesystem attacks. Path Traversal Older MCP filesystem implementations allow navigation outside the intended directory, exposing sensitive project or system files. Token Passthrough Some servers blindly accept forwarded tokens, allowing compromised agents to impersonate other services without validation. Session Hijacking Session IDs appearing in URLs can be captured from logs or redirects and reused to access active sessions. Current Known Limitations While MCP is promising, it has structural limitations that organizations must plan for: Lack of Native Tool Authenticity Verification There is no built-in mechanism to verify if a tool or server is genuine. Trust relies on external validation, increasing exposure to tool poisoning attacks. Weak Context Isolation Multi-session environments risk cross-contamination, where sensitive data from one session leaks into another. Limited Built-In Encryption Enforcement MCP depends on HTTPS/TLS for secure communication but does not enforce encryption across all channels by default. Monitoring & Auditing Gaps MCP lacks native logging and auditing capabilities. Organizations must integrate with external SIEM tools like Microsoft Sentinel for visibility. Dynamic Registration Risks Current implementations allow dynamic client registration without granular controls, enabling rogue client onboarding. Scalability Constraints Large-scale deployments require manual tuning for performance and security. There is no standardized approach for load balancing or high availability. Configuration Management Challenges Credentials often stored in plaintext within MCP config files. Lack of automated secret rotation or secure vault integration makes them vulnerable. Limited Standardization Across Vendors MCP is still evolving, and interoperability between different implementations is inconsistent, creating integration complexity. Mitigation Best Practices To reduce risk and strengthen MCP deployments: Enforce OAuth 2.1 with PKCE and strong RBAC. Use HTTPS/TLS for all MCP communications. Deploy MCP servers in isolated networks with private endpoints. Validate tools before integration; avoid untrusted sources. Integrate with Microsoft Defender for Cloud and Sentinel for monitoring. Encrypt and rotate credentials; never store in plaintext. Implement policy-as-code for configuration governance. MCP opens new possibilities for AI-driven automation, but without robust security, it can become an attack vector. Organizations must start with a secure baseline, continuously monitor, and adopt best practices to operationalize MCP safely.
Change password for krbtgt account
What is the criteria that MDI uses to determine whether the https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defender-for-identity/security-posture-assessments/accounts#change-password-for-krbtgt-account recommendation has been completed? I'm working with an org where the passwordLastSet attribute on the krbtgt account says "never", yet this recommendation is showing "Completed".
Unified detection rule management
Hi, I attended the webinar yesterday regarding the new unified custom detection rules in Defender XDR. I was wondering about the management of a library of rules. As with any SOC, our solution has a library of custom rules which we manage in a release cycle for a number of clients in different Tenants. To avoid having to manage rules individually we use the JSON approach, importing the library so it will update rules that we need to tune. Currently I'm not seeing an option to import unified detection rules in Defender XDR via JSON. Is that a feature that will be added? Thanks ZivMicrosoft Sentinel device log destination roadmap
I just attended the 11/5/2025 Microsoft webinar "Adopting Unified Custom Detections in Microsoft Sentinel via the Defender Portal: Now Better Than Ever" and my question posted to Q&A was not answered by the team delivering the session. The moderator told us that if our question was not answered we were to post the question in this forum. Here is the question again: "Will firewall and other device logs continue to go to Azure Log Analytics indefinitely? By Indefinitely I mean not changing in the roadmap to something else like Data Lake or Event Grid/Service Bus, etc." Thank you, JohnUsing Microsoft Graph Security API for Custom Security Automations
Hi Security Experts, I’ve recently started exploring the Microsoft Graph Security API to centralize and automate security operations across different Microsoft 365 services. The idea is to build a single automation layer that can: Collect alerts from Defender for Endpoint, Defender for Cloud, and Identity Protection; Enrich them with context (user, device, and location data); And automatically push them to an external system like Jira, n8n, or a custom SOAR workflow. I was able to authenticate and list alerts using the endpoint: “GET https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/security/alerts” However, I’m still trying to understand the best practices for handling rate limits, pagination, and permissions — especially when integrating continuous polling or real-time ingestion into external tools. Has anyone here implemented Graph Security API automations in production? I’d love to hear about your experiences — specifically around performance, alert filtering, and authentication (App Registration vs Managed Identity). Thanks in advance, LucaHigh CPU Usage by Microsoft Defender (MsMpEng.exe) on Azure Windows Server 2019
Hi everyone, I’ve been seeing consistent CPU spikes from MsMpEng.exe (Antimalware Service Executable) on several Windows Server 2019 Datacenter VMs hosted in Azure. The usage reaches 100% for about 10–15 minutes daily, always around the same time. No manual scans are scheduled, and limiting CPU usage with Set-MpPreference -ScanAvgCPULoadFactor didn’t help. Could this be related to Defender’s cloud protection update cycle, or possibly a backend maintenance task from Defender for Cloud? Is there a recommended way to throttle or schedule these background Defender tasks in production environments? Appreciate any insights, LucaDefender for Endpoint Conflicting with Internal Firewall Authentication
Hi Security Experts, After onboarding a few devices into Defender for Endpoint, I noticed that those machines started having connection drops to the company’s internal firewall. They constantly re-authenticate before regaining web access. Devices not onboarded into Defender don’t experience this issue. Could Defender’s network protection or proxy policies be interfering with the internal firewall authentication flow? Any recommendations on how to keep Defender active while keeping the internal firewall as the primary control point? Thanks for any suggestions, LucaAutomating Defender Alerts with CISA KEV and n8n – Has anyone tried similar workflows?
Hi everyone, I’ve been experimenting with n8n automation to improve vulnerability management. I created a workflow that cross-references Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vulnerabilities with the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, and then automatically creates Jira tickets for remediation. The flow takes about 16 seconds to run and prioritizes only the CVEs that are both present in the environment and listed in KEV. Has anyone here built similar automation (maybe with Logic Apps, Power Automate, or Sentinel playbooks)? Would love to hear how others handle vulnerability prioritization or ticket creation!Automação de Alertas do Defender com o Catálogo KEV da CISA usando n8n
Overview Recently, I decided to explore how automation could help simplify daily security operations, especially in vulnerability management. While studying n8n, an open-source automation platform, I saw the opportunity to connect it with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) Catalog. The goal was simple: build an automated workflow that identifies which vulnerabilities detected in Defender are actively exploited in the wild, and then create actionable tickets in Jira for remediation teams — automatically and with full context. Why I Built This Most security teams deal with thousands of vulnerabilities every week, but only a small portion are actually being exploited. I wanted to find a way to prioritize what truly matters without adding more manual work. Defender for Endpoint already provides strong vulnerability data, but by combining it with the CISA KEV catalog, we can instantly highlight high-risk CVEs that need urgent attention. This project was also a great opportunity to test n8n’s flexibility and API-handling capabilities in a real-world cybersecurity scenario.How to Resolve Microsoft Authenticator App Issues
The Microsoft Authenticator app is a critical tool for securing accounts through multi-factor authentication (MFA). However, users may sometimes experience issues such as login failures, missing notifications, or app crashes. This guide will walk you through troubleshooting and resolving common Microsoft Authenticator app problems. https://dellenny.com/how-to-resolve-microsoft-authenticator-app-issues/Never Get Locked Out: The Importance of a Break Glass Admin Account
One of the simplest but most critical safeguards in Microsoft Entra ID is having a Break Glass Admin account. In my lab, I created a dedicated emergency account with: - Permanent Global Admin role (for emergencies only) - Excluded from Conditional Access policies - Strong password stored securely - Monitoring in place to detect any sign-in attempts This account is never used for daily operations — it exists only to guarantee access in case Conditional Access, MFA, or identity protection policies block all other admins. This setup prevents accidental lockouts and ensures continuity. Does your organization maintain a Break Glass Admin account, and how do you secure it?Share your experience with Microsoft Security Products on Gartner Peer Insights
At Microsoft, we believe the most valuable insights come from those who use our products every day. Your feedback helps other organizations make informed decisions and guides us in delivering solutions that truly meet your needs. We invite you to share your experiences with Microsoft Security products on Gartner Peer Insights. By leaving a review, you’ll help your peers confidently choose the right solutions and contribute to the ongoing improvement of our products and services. Why your review matters Empower others Your honest feedback helps fellow decision-makers understand how Microsoft Security products perform in real-world scenarios. Build community Sharing your experience fosters a community of practitioners who learn from each other’s successes and challenges. Drive innovation Your insights directly influence future product enhancements and features. How to participate Click on the Microsoft Security Product You would be prompted to log in or sign in to the site. Select the Microsoft Security product you know well. Share your experience, highlighting the features and outcomes that mattered most to you. It would take a few minutes to complete the survey. Rules and Guidelines Only Microsoft customers are eligible to submit reviews; partners and MVPs are not. Please refer to the Microsoft Privacy Statement and Gartner’s Community Guidelines and Gartner Peer Insights Review Guide for more information.Authenticating using ConfidentialClient
Hello, Some of our customers are unable to send out automated emails because support for basic authentication with SMTP is being removed. I am looking at finding a solution and it seems the Graph API is the recommended approach. I have manage to create a working example using `PublicClientApplicationBuilder` however, this class displays a pop-up requiring the user to sign in, since we have automated services with no user interaction, this is not a good solution. I have seen some examples using `ConfidentialClientApplicationBuilder` and this seems idea. However, I have reached multiple dead-ends and everytime receive the error: > Confidential Client flows are not available on mobile platforms or on Mac.See https://aka.ms/msal-net-confidential-availability for details. Please would someone be able to help me. Why do I recieve this error? Whatever I do, whatever project I use, WinForm, Console app and Service I always get this error. I am storing my Client, Tenant and Secret in a database table and here is my code: ``` vb Private Async Function GetAppAuthentication() As Task(Of AuthenticationResult) Dim folderAccess = BLL.L2S.SystemApplicationGateway.GetFolderAccess(mBLL_SY.ReadonlyDbContext) If folderAccess Is Nothing Then Return Nothing End If Dim app = ConfidentialClientApplicationBuilder.Create(folderAccess.Client) _ .WithClientSecret(folderAccess.Secret) _ .WithTenantId(folderAccess.Tenant) _ .Build() Dim scopes As String() = {"https://outlook.office365.com/.default"} Dim result As AuthenticationResult = Await app.AcquireTokenForClient(scopes).ExecuteAsync() Return result End Function ``` I am using .Net Framework 4.7.2, we have Windows Services and WinForms apps and both need to send out emails. The error message is very confusing to me because of course it is not a mobile app, and I have even created a UnitTest that seemingly works fine which again is very confusing to me. This is urgent as this is already causing issues for our customers. Thanks in advanc
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