Microsoft Sentinel’s AI-driven UEBA ushers in the next era of behavioral analytics
Co-author - Ashwin Patil Security teams today face an overwhelming challenge: every data point is now a potential security signal and SOCs are drowning in complex logs, trying to find the needle in the haystack. Microsoft Sentinel User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) brings the power of AI to automatically surface anomalous behaviors, helping analysts cut through the noise, save time, and focus on what truly matters. Microsoft Sentinel UEBA has already helped SOCs uncover insider threats, detect compromised accounts, and reveal subtle attack signals that traditional rule-based methods often miss. These capabilities were previously powered by a core set of high-value data sources - such as sign-in activity, audit logs, and identity signals - that consistently delivered rich context and accurate detections. Today, we’re excited to announce a major expansion: Sentinel UEBA now supports six new data sources including Microsoft first- and third-party platforms like Azure, AWS, GCP, and Okta, bringing deeper visibility, broader context, and more powerful anomaly detection tailored to your environment. This isn’t just about ingesting more logs. It’s about transforming how SOCs understand behavior, detect threats, and prioritize response. With this evolution, analysts gain a unified, cross-platform view of user and entity behavior, enabling them to correlate signals, uncover hidden risks, and act faster with greater confidence. Newly supported data sources are built for real-world security use cases: Authentication activities MDE DeviceLogonEvents – Ideal for spotting lateral movement and unusual access. AADManagedIdentitySignInLogs – Critical for spotting stealthy abuse of non - human identities. AADServicePrincipalSignInLogs - Identifying anomalies in service principal usage such as token theft or over - privileged automation. Cloud platforms & identity management AWS CloudTrail Login Events - Surfaces risky AWS account activity based on AWS CloudTrail ConsoleLogin events and logon related attributes. GCP Audit Logs - Failed IAM Access, Captures denied access attempts indicating reconnaissance, brute force, or privilege misuse in GCP. Okta MFA & Auth Security Change Events – Flags MFA challenges, resets, and policy modifications that may reveal MFA fatigue, session hijacking, or policy tampering. Currently supports the Okta_CL table (unified Okta connector support coming soon). These sources feed directly into UEBA’s entity profiles and baselines - enriching users, devices, and service identities with behavioral context and anomalies that would otherwise be fragmented across platforms. This will complement our existing supported log sources - monitoring Entra ID sign-in logs, Azure Activity logs and Windows Security Events. Due to the unified schema available across data sources, UEBA enables feature-rich investigation and the capability to correlate across data sources, cross platform identities or devices insights, anomalies, and more. AI-powered UEBA that understands your environment Microsoft Sentinel UEBA goes beyond simple log collection - it continuously learns from your environment. By applying AI models trained on your organization’s behavioral data, UEBA builds dynamic baselines and peer groups, enabling it to spot truly anomalous activity. UBEA builds baselines from 10 days (for uncommon activities) to 6 months, both for the user and their dynamically calculated peers. Then, insights are surfaced on the activities and logs - such as an uncommon activity or first-time activity - not only for the user but among peers. Those insights are used by an advanced AI model to identify high confidence anomalies. So, if a user signs in for the first time from an uncommon location, a common pattern in the environment due to reliance on global vendors, for example, then this will not be identified as an anomaly, keeping the noise down. However, in a tightly controlled environment, this same behavior can be an indication of an attack and will surface in the Anomalies table. Including those signals in custom detections can help affect the severity of an alert. So, while logic is maintained, the SOC is focused on the right priorities. How to use UEBA for maximum impact Security teams can leverage UEBA in several key ways. All the examples below leverage UEBA’s dynamic behavioral baselines looking back up to 6 months. Teams can also leverage the hunting queries from the "UEBA essentials" solution in Microsoft Sentinel's Content Hub. Behavior Analytics: Detect unusual logon times, MFA fatigue, or service principal misuse across hybrid environments. Get visibility into geo-location of events and Threat Intelligence insights. Here’s an example of how you can easily discover Accounts authenticating without MFA and from uncommonly connected countries using UEBA behaviorAnalytics table: BehaviorAnalytics | where TimeGenerated > ago(7d) | where EventSource == "AwsConsoleSignIn" | where ActionType == "ConsoleLogin" and ActivityType == "signin.amazonaws.com" | where ActivityInsights.IsMfaUsed == "No" | where ActivityInsights.CountryUncommonlyConnectedFromInTenant == True | evaluate bag_unpack(UsersInsights, "AWS_") | where InvestigationPriority > 0 // Filter noise - uncomment if you want to see low fidelity noise | project TimeGenerated, _WorkspaceId, ActionType, ActivityType, InvestigationPriority, SourceIPAddress, SourceIPLocation, AWS_UserIdentityType, AWS_UserIdentityAccountId, AWS_UserIdentityArn Anomaly detection Identify lateral movement, dormant account reactivation, or brute-force attempts, even when they span cloud platforms. Below are examples of how to discover UEBA Anomalous AwsCloudTrail anomalies via various UEBA activity insights or device insights attributes: Anomalies | where AnomalyTemplateName in ( "UEBA Anomalous Logon in AwsCloudTrail", // AWS ClousTrail anomalies "UEBA Anomalous MFA Failures in Okta_CL", "UEBA Anomalous Activity in Okta_CL", // Okta Anomalies "UEBA Anomalous Activity in GCP Audit Logs", // GCP Failed IAM access anomalies "UEBA Anomalous Authentication" // For Authentication related anomalies ) | project TimeGenerated, _WorkspaceId, AnomalyTemplateName, AnomalyScore, Description, AnomalyDetails, ActivityInsights, DeviceInsights, UserInsights, Tactics, Techniques Alert optimization Use UEBA signals to dynamically adjust alert severity in custom detections—turning noisy alerts into high-fidelity detections. The example below shows all the users with anomalous sign in patterns based on UEBA. Joining the results with any of the AWS alerts with same AWS identity will increase fidelity. BehaviorAnalytics | where TimeGenerated > ago(7d) | where EventSource == "AwsConsoleSignIn" | where ActionType == "ConsoleLogin" and ActivityType == "signin.amazonaws.com" | where ActivityInsights.FirstTimeConnectionViaISPInTenant == True or ActivityInsights.FirstTimeUserConnectedFromCountry == True | evaluate bag_unpack(UsersInsights, "AWS_") | where InvestigationPriority > 0 // Filter noise - uncomment if you want to see low fidelity noise | project TimeGenerated, _WorkspaceId, ActionType, ActivityType, InvestigationPriority, SourceIPAddress, SourceIPLocation, AWS_UserIdentityType, AWS_UserIdentityAccountId, AWS_UserIdentityArn, ActivityInsights | evaluate bag_unpack(ActivityInsights) Another example shows anomalous key vault access from service principal with uncommon source country location. Joining this activity with other alerts from the same service principle increases fidelity of the alerts. You can also join the anomaly UEBA Anomalous Authentication with other alerts from the same identity to bring the full power of UEBA into your detections. BehaviorAnalytics | where TimeGenerated > ago(1d) | where EventSource == "Authentication" and SourceSystem == "AAD" | evaluate bag_unpack(ActivityInsights) | where LogonMethod == "Service Principal" and Resource == "Azure Key Vault" | where ActionUncommonlyPerformedByUser == "True" and CountryUncommonlyConnectedFromByUser == "True" | where InvestigationPriority > 0 Final thoughts This release marks a new chapter for Sentinel UEBA—bringing together AI, behavioral analytics, and cross-cloud and identity management visibility to help defenders stay ahead of threats. If you haven’t explored UEBA yet, now’s the time. Enable it in your workspace settings and don’t forget to enable anomalies as well (in Anomalies settings). And if you’re already using it, these new sources will help you unlock even more value. Stay tuned for our upcoming Ninja show and webinar (register at aka.ms/secwebinars), where we’ll dive deeper into use cases. Until then, explore the new sources, use the UEBA workbook, update your watchlists, and let UEBA do the heavy lifting. UEBA onboarding and setting documentation Identify threats using UEBA UEBA enrichments and insights reference UEBA anomalies referenceUnleash the full potential of User and Entity Behavior Analytics with our updated workbook
We have updated the User and Entity Behavior Analytics workbook to include more. Now, you can prioritize incidents based on anomalies affecting the entities that are involved in the alerts. You will also gain visibility into anomalies affecting different types of entities, like accounts, IPs and hosts.Level Up Your Security Skills with the New Microsoft Sentinel Ninja Training!
If you’ve explored our Microsoft Sentinel Ninja Training in the past, it’s time to revisit! Our training program has undergone some exciting changes to keep you ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape. Microsoft Sentinel is a cutting-edge, cloud-native SIEM and SOAR solution designed to help security professionals protect their organizations from today’s complex threats. Our Ninja Training program is here to guide you through every aspect of this powerful tool. So, what’s new? In addition to the structured security roles format, the Ninja Training now offers a more interactive experience with updated modules, hands-on labs, and real-world scenarios. Whether you're focusing on threat detection, incident response, or automation, the training ensures you gain the practical skills needed to optimize your security operations. One of the biggest updates is the integration of Sentinel into the Defender XDR portal, creating a unified security platform. This merger simplifies workflows, speeds up incident response, and minimizes tool-switching, allowing for seamless operations. Other highlights include: Step-by-step guidance through the official Microsoft Sentinel documentation. Exclusive webinars and up-to-date blog posts from Microsoft experts. If you're ready to take your Sentinel skills to the next level or want to revisit the program’s new features, head over to the blog now and dive into the refreshed Microsoft Sentinel Ninja Training! Don’t miss out—your next cybersecurity breakthrough is just a click away!Discover the power of UEBA anomalies in Microsoft Sentinel
Our mission in Microsoft Sentinel UEBA is to detect insider and unknown threats – so we surface those suspicious activities that won’t be detected by other platforms. Since we’re looking into and analyzing that grey area of activities - we’re able to provide insights on threats that might have been missed otherwise. We now offer a verity of new experiences that makes anomalies much easier to use.
What’s New in Microsoft Sentinel: November 2025
Welcome to our new Microsoft Sentinel blog series! We’re excited to launch a new blog series focused on Microsoft Sentinel. From the latest product innovations and feature updates to industry recognition, success stories, and major events, you’ll find it all here. This first post kicks off the series by celebrating Microsoft’s recognition as a Leader in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for SIEM 1 . It also introduces the latest innovations designed to deliver measurable impact and empower defenders with adaptable, collaborative tools in an evolving threat landscape. Microsoft is recognized as a Leader in 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) Microsoft Sentinel continues to drive security innovation—and the industry is taking notice. Microsoft was named a leader in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) 1 , published on October 8, 2025. We believe this acknowledgment reinforces our commitment to helping organizations stay secure in a rapidly changing threat landscape. Read blog for more information. Take advantage of M365 E5 benefit and Microsoft Sentinel promotional pricing Microsoft 365 E5 benefit Customers with Microsoft 365 E5, A5, F5, or G5 licenses automatically receive up to 5 MB of free data ingestion per user per day, covering key security data sources like Azure AD sign-in logs and Microsoft Cloud App Security discovery logs—no enrollment required. Read more about M365 benefits for Microsoft Sentinel. New 50GB promotional pricing To make Microsoft Sentinel more accessible to small and mid-sized organizations, we introduced a new 50 GB commitment tier in public preview, with promotional pricing starting October 1, 2025, through March 31, 2026. Customers who choose the 50 GB commitment tier during this period will maintain their promotional rate until March 31, 2027. Available globally with regional variations in regional pricing it is accessible through EA, CSP, and Direct channels. For more information see Microsoft Sentinel pricing page. Partner Integrations: Strengthening TI collaboration and workflow automation Microsoft Sentinel continues to expand its ecosystem with powerful partner integrations that enhance security operations. With Cyware, customers can now share threat intelligence bi-directionally across trusted destinations, ISACs, and multi-tenant environments—enabling real-time intelligence exchange that strengthens defenses and accelerates coordinated response. Learn more about the Cyware integration. Learn more about the Cyware integration here. Meanwhile, BlinkOps integration combined with Sentinel’s SOAR capabilities empowers SOC teams to automate repetitive tasks, orchestrate complex playbooks, and streamline workflows end-to-end. This automation reduces operational overhead, cuts Mean Time to Respond (MTTR) and frees analysts for strategic threat hunting. Learn more about the BlinkOps integration. Learn more about the BlinkOps integration. Harnessing Microsoft Sentinel Innovations Security is being reengineered for the AI era, moving beyond static, rule-based controls and reactive post-breach response toward platform-led, machine-speed defense. To overcome fragmented tools, sprawling signals, and legacy architectures that cannot keep pace with modern attacks, Microsoft Sentinel has evolved into both a SIEM and a unified security platform for agentic defense. These updates introduce architectural enhancements and advanced capabilities that enable AI-driven security operations at scale, helping organizations detect, investigate, and respond with unprecedented speed and precision. Microsoft Sentinel graph – Public Preview Unified graph analytics for deeper context and threat reasoning. Microsoft Sentinel graph delivers an interactive, visual map of entity relationships, helping analysts uncover hidden attack paths, lateral movement, and root causes for pre- and post-breach investigations. Read tech community blog for more details. Microsoft Sentinel Model Context Protocol (MCP) server – Public Preview Context is key to effective security automation. Microsoft Sentinel MCP server introduces a standardized protocol for building context-aware solutions, enabling developers to create smarter integrations and workflows within Sentinel. This opens the door to richer automation scenarios and more adaptive security operations. Read tech community blog for more details. Enhanced UEBA with New Data Sources – Public Preview We are excited to announce support for six new sources in our user entity and behavior analytics algorithm, including AWS, GCP, Okta, and Azure. Now, customers can gain deeper, cross-platform visibility into anomalous behavior for earlier and more confident detection. Read our blog and check out our Ninja Training to learn more. Developer Solutions for Microsoft Sentinel platform – Public Preview Expanded APIs, solution templates, and integration capabilities empower developers to build and distribute custom workflows and apps via Microsoft Security Store. This unlocks faster innovation, streamlined operations, and new revenue opportunities, extending Sentinel beyond out-of-the-box functionality for greater agility and resilience. Read tech community blog for more details. Growing ecosystem of Microsoft Sentinel data connectors We are excited to announce the general availability of four new data connectors: AWS Server Access Logs, Google Kubernetes Engine, Palo Alto CSPM, and Palo Alto Cortex Xpanse. Visit find your Microsoft Sentinel data connector page for the list of data connectors currently supported. We are also inviting Private Previews for four additional connectors: AWS EKS, Qualys VM KB, Alibaba Cloud Network, and Holm Security towards our commitment to expand the breadth and depth to support new data sources. Our customer support team can help you sign up for previews. New agentless data connector for Microsoft Sentinel Solution for SAP applications We’re excited to announce the general availability of a new agentless connector for Microsoft Sentinel solution for SAP applications, designed to simplify integration and enhance security visibility. This connector enables seamless ingestion of SAP logs and telemetry directly into Microsoft Sentinel, helping SOC teams monitor critical business processes, detect anomalies, and respond to threats faster—all while reducing operational overhead. Events, Webinars and Training Stay connected with the latest security innovation and best practices. From global conferences to expert-led sessions, these events offer opportunities to learn, network, and explore how Microsoft is shaping AI-driven, end-to-end security for the modern enterprise. Microsoft Ignite 2025 Security takes center stage at Microsoft Ignite, with dedicated sessions and hands-on experiences for security professionals and leaders. Join us in San Francisco, November 17–21, 2025, or online, to explore our AI-first, end-to-end security platform designed to protect identities, devices, data, applications, clouds, infrastructure—and critically—AI systems and agents. Register today! Microsoft Security Webinars Stay ahead of emerging threats and best practices with expert-led webinars from the Microsoft Security Community. Discover upcoming sessions on Microsoft Sentinel SIEM & platform, Defender, Intune, and more. Sign up today and be part of the conversation that shapes security for everyone. Learn more about upcoming webinars. Onboard Microsoft Sentinel in Defender – Video Series Microsoft leads the industry in both SIEM and XDR, delivering a unified experience that brings these capabilities together seamlessly in the Microsoft Defender portal. This integration empowers security teams to correlate insights, streamline workflows, and strengthen defenses across the entire threat landscape. Ready to get started? Explore our video series to learn how to onboard your Microsoft Sentinel experience and unlock the full potential of integrated security. Watch Microsoft Sentinel is now in Defender video series. MDTI Convergence into Microsoft Sentinel & Defender XDR overview Discover how Microsoft Defender Threat Intelligence Premium is transforming cybersecurity by integrating into Defender XDR, Sentinel, and the Defender portal. Watch this session to learn about new features, expanded access to threat intelligence, and how these updates strengthen your security posture. Partner Sentinel Bootcamp Transform your security team from Sentinel beginners to advanced practitioners. This comprehensive 2-day bootcamp helps participants master architecture design, data ingestion strategies, multi-tenant management, and advanced analytics while learning to leverage Microsoft's AI-first security platform for real-world threat detection and response. Register here for the bootcamp. Looking to dive deeper into Microsoft Sentinel development? Check out the official https://aka.ms/AppAssure_SentinelDeveloper. It’s the central reference for developers and security teams who want to build custom integrations, automate workflows, and extend Sentinel’s capabilities. Bookmark this link as your starting point for hands-on guidance and tools. Stay Connected Check back each month for the latest innovations, updates, and events to ensure you’re getting the most out of Microsoft Sentinel. 1 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Security Information and Event Management, Andrew Davies, Eric Ahlm, Angel Berrios, Darren Livingstone, 8 October 2025IoT Entity Page - Enhance IoT/OT Threat Monitoring in Your SOC with Sentinel and Defender for IoT
The new IoT device entity page is designed to help your SOC investigate incidents that involve IoT/OT devices in your environment, by providing the full OT/IoT context through Microsoft Defender for IoT, our agentless IoT/OT security monitoring solution, to Sentinel. This enables SOC teams to detect and respond more quickly across all domains to the entire attack timeline.
