Monitoring for suspicious network activity in Microsoft Azure

ylwong

Implementing comprehensive network monitoring in Microsoft Azure to align with ISO 27001 compliance involves utilizing various Azure-native security tools. Below is a detailed solution tailored for an application server hosted on an Azure Virtual Machine (VM), along with associated pricing estimates.

1. Enable Azure Network Security Monitoring

a. Microsoft Defender for Cloud

Description: Provides unified security management and advanced threat protection across Azure resources.
Implementation Steps:
- Enable Microsoft Defender for Cloud in the Azure portal.
  - Configure security policies to align with ISO 27001 standards.
Pricing:
- Defender for Servers Plan 1: $15 per server per month.
  - Defender for Servers Plan 2: $25 per server per month.
  - Recommendation: For comprehensive protection, Plan 2 is advisable.
b. Azure Firewall with Threat Intelligence
Description: A managed firewall service that provides network traffic filtering and threat intelligence-based filtering to detect and block malicious traffic.
Implementation Steps:
- Deploy Azure Firewall within your Virtual Network.
  - Enable threat intelligence-based filtering to alert and deny traffic from/to known malicious IP addresses and domains.
Pricing:
- Fixed Deployment Fee: Approximately $1.25 per deployment hour.
  - Data Processing Fee: $0.016 per GB of data processed.
  - Example: For a deployment running 24/7, the monthly fixed cost is about $900 (730 hours x $1.25). Data processing costs will vary based on actual usage.
c. Azure DDoS Protection
Description: Provides enhanced Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) mitigation capabilities for your application.
Implementation Steps:
- Enable Azure DDoS Protection Standard on your Virtual Network.
Pricing:
- Fixed Monthly Charge: $2,944 per month.
  - Data Processing Fee: $0.30 per GB of data processed.
  - Note: This service is particularly beneficial for applications exposed to the internet and susceptible to DDoS attacks.

2. Monitor Network Traffic with Azure Networking Logs

a. Network Security Group (NSG) Flow Logs

Description: Provides visibility into network traffic by capturing ingress and egress IP traffic through NSGs.
Implementation Steps:
- Enable NSG Flow Logs and send them to an Azure Storage account or Log Analytics workspace.
  - Utilize Traffic Analytics to analyze flow logs and detect anomalies.
Pricing:
- NSG Flow Logs: $0.50 per GB of logs collected.
  - Traffic Analytics: $0.10 per GB of logs analyzed.
  - Example: If 100 GB of logs are collected and analyzed monthly, the cost would be $50 for collection and $10 for analysis.
b. VPN and ExpressRoute Logs
Description: Monitor logs for VPN gateways and ExpressRoute circuits to detect unexpected remote access attempts.
Implementation Steps:
- Enable diagnostic logs for VPN gateways and ExpressRoute.
  - Send logs to Azure Monitor or a Log Analytics workspace for analysis.
Pricing:
- Diagnostic Logs: $0.50 per GB of logs collected.
  - Note: Actual costs depend on the volume of logs generated.
c. Azure Web Application Firewall (WAF)
Description: Protects web applications by detecting and mitigating common web vulnerabilities.
Implementation Steps:
- Deploy WAF with Azure Application Gateway or Azure Front Door.
  - Configure WAF policies to monitor and block malicious requests.
Pricing:
- Application Gateway WAF v2:
  - Fixed Fee: $0.35 per gateway hour.
  - Capacity Units: $0.01 per capacity unit hour.
  - Azure Front Door WAF:
  - Fixed Fee: $5 per policy per month.
  - Request Charge: $0.60 per million requests.
  - Example: For an Application Gateway WAF running 24/7, the monthly fixed cost is approximately $255 (730 hours x $0.35). Additional costs depend on capacity units and data processed.

3. Use Azure Sentinel for Threat Detection

a. Azure Sentinel (SIEM)

Description: A cloud-native Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system that provides intelligent security analytics and threat intelligence.
Implementation Steps:
- Set up an Azure Sentinel workspace.
  - Connect data sources, including NSG Flow Logs, Azure Firewall logs, and Microsoft Defender alerts.
  - Configure detection rules and create automated response playbooks using Logic Apps.
Pricing:
- Data Ingestion: $2.46 per GB of data ingested.
  - Example: If 100 GB of data is ingested monthly, the cost would be $246.

4. Configure Identity & Access Monitoring

a. Azure AD Identity Protection

Description: Identifies potential vulnerabilities affecting your organization's identities, configures automated responses to detected suspicious actions, and

ylwong

Here’s a refined breakdown of the ISO 27001 Network Security Monitoring Solution for 29 Azure VMs, including cost estimates.

ISO 27001 Compliance: Network Security Monitoring for 29 Azure VMs

1. Azure Network Security Monitoring

a. Microsoft Defender for Cloud

Microsoft Defender for Cloud provides security monitoring and compliance checks.

Features:

Security posture management
Threat detection for VMs, databases, and storage
Compliance reporting for ISO 27001

Pricing:

Microsoft Defender for Servers P2: $15 per VM per month
Log Analytics data ingestion: $2.30 per GB

For 29 VMs:

29 x $15 = $435/month
Estimated 200 GB/month log ingestion: $460/month
Total: $895/month

b. Azure Firewall with Threat Intelligence

Provides centralized security with real-time threat detection.

Features:

Detects and blocks malicious IPs
Deep packet inspection
Integration with Microsoft Threat Intelligence

Pricing:

Azure Firewall Standard: $1.25 per hour (~$900/month)
Data Processing: $0.016 per GB
Estimated 300 GB/month processing: $4.80/month
Total: ~$905/month

c. Azure DDoS Protection

Protects against large-scale attacks on public-facing apps.

Pricing:

Azure DDoS Protection Standard: $2,944 per month
Includes 100 GB processing, additional $0.05 per GB
Estimated 200 GB additional data: $10/month
Total: $2,954/month

2. Monitor Network Traffic with Azure Networking Logs

a. Network Security Group (NSG) Flow Logs

Logs network traffic for threat analysis.

Pricing:

NSG Flow Logs v2: $0.001 per log entry
Traffic Analytics processing: $0.10 per GB
Estimated 50 million logs, 500 GB data:
- $50 + (500 x $0.10) = $100/month

b. VPN and ExpressRoute Logs

Monitors VPN access and ExpressRoute for suspicious activity.

Pricing:

VPN Gateway Logs: $0.40 per GB
ExpressRoute Monitoring: $0.10 per GB
Estimated 100 GB logs:
- ($0.40 x 50) + ($0.10 x 50) = $25/month

c. Azure Web Application Firewall (WAF)

Protects against web attacks like SQL injection and XSS.

Pricing:

WAF on Azure Front Door Standard: $35 per instance
Log Analytics ingestion: $2.30 per GB
Estimated 5 WAF instances + 100 GB logs:
- $35 x 5 + ($2.30 x 100) = $335/month

3. Azure Sentinel for Threat Detection

Azure Sentinel acts as a SIEM for real-time threat detection.

Pricing:

Log ingestion: $2.30 per GB
Sentinel Analysis & Storage: $0.12 per GB
Estimated 1000 GB log data/month:
- $2.30 x 1000 + $0.12 x 1000 = $2,420/month

4. Identity & Access Monitoring

a. Azure AD Identity Protection

Detects and mitigates suspicious logins.

Pricing:

Azure AD Premium P2: $9 per user per month
For 100 users: 100 x $9 = $900/month

b. Privileged Identity Management (PIM)

Manages privileged admin access.

Pricing:

Included in Azure AD Premium P2
No additional cost

5. Regular Audits & Incident Response

a. Azure Security Center Compliance Audits

Runs continuous compliance checks for ISO 27001.

Pricing:

Included in Microsoft Defender for Cloud
No additional cost

b. Incident Response with Playbooks

Automates responses using Azure Logic Apps.

Pricing:

$0.002 per action
Estimated 10,000 actions per month: $20/month

Total Monthly Cost Estimation

| Service | Estimated Monthly Cost |
|---------|-----------------------|
| Microsoft Defender for Servers (29 VMs) | $895 |
| Azure Firewall with Threat Intelligence | $905 |
| Azure DDoS Protection | $2,954 |
| NSG Flow Logs | $100 |
| VPN & ExpressRoute Logs | $25 |
| Azure WAF | $335 |
| Azure Sentinel (1000GB logs) | $2,420 |
| Azure AD Premium P2 (100 users) | $900 |
| Incident Response Automation | $20 |
| Total Estimated Cost | $8,554/month |

Implementation Plan

Phase 1 (Week 1-2): Core Security

Enable Microsoft Defender for Cloud
Configure Azure Firewall & Threat Intelligence
Set up NSG Flow Logs & Traffic Analytics

Phase 2 (Week 3-4): Advanced Threat Detection

Deploy Azure Sentinel
Implement Azure AD Identity Protection
Enable WAF for Web Applications

Phase 3 (Week 5-6): Automation & Compliance

Configure Incident Response Playbooks
Set up ISO 27001 Security Audits
Perform an initial security assessment

Next Steps

Confirm budget approval (~$8,554/month)
Discuss optional services (DDoS protection may not be needed for internal systems)
Finalize implementation timeline

Let me know if you need adjustments or further breakdowns. 🚀

ylwong

Here's the refined ISO 27001 Network Security Monitoring Solution for 29 Azure VMs with 10 Azure WAF instances.

ISO 27001 Compliance: Network Security Monitoring for 29 Azure VMs

1. Azure Network Security Monitoring

a. Microsoft Defender for Cloud

Microsoft Defender for Cloud provides security monitoring and compliance checks.

Pricing:

Microsoft Defender for Servers P2: $15 per VM per month
Log Analytics ingestion: $2.30 per GB
For 29 VMs:
- $15 x 29 = $435/month
- Estimated 200 GB logs: $460/month
- Total: $895/month

b. Azure Firewall with Threat Intelligence

Enterprise-grade firewall for threat detection.

Pricing:

Azure Firewall Standard: $1.25 per hour (~$900/month)
Data Processing (300GB estimate): $0.016 per GB (~$4.80/month)
Total: ~$905/month

c. Azure DDoS Protection

Protects public-facing applications from attacks.

Pricing:

Azure DDoS Protection Standard: $2,944 per month
Includes 100 GB data processing, additional: $0.05 per GB
Estimated 200 GB additional traffic: $10/month
Total: $2,954/month

2. Monitor Network Traffic with Azure Networking Logs

a. Network Security Group (NSG) Flow Logs

Logs network traffic for threat analysis.

Pricing:

NSG Flow Logs v2: $0.001 per log entry
Traffic Analytics processing: $0.10 per GB
Estimated 50 million logs, 500 GB data:
- $50 + (500GB x $0.10) = $100/month

b. VPN and ExpressRoute Logs

Monitors VPN access and ExpressRoute traffic.

Pricing:

VPN Gateway Logs: $0.40 per GB
ExpressRoute Monitoring: $0.10 per GB
Estimated 100 GB logs:
- ($0.40 x 50) + ($0.10 x 50) = $25/month

c. Azure Web Application Firewall (WAF)

Protects web applications from SQL injection, XSS, and bot attacks.

Pricing:

Azure WAF on Azure Front Door Standard: $35 per instance per month
Log Analytics ingestion: $2.30 per GB
For 10 WAF instances + 200 GB logs:
- $35 x 10 = $350/month
- 200GB x $2.30 = $460/month
- Total: $810/month

3. Azure Sentinel for Threat Detection

Cloud-native SIEM to detect and respond to threats.

Pricing:

Log ingestion: $2.30 per GB
Sentinel Analysis & Storage: $0.12 per GB
Estimated 1000 GB log data/month:
- $2.30 x 1000 + $0.12 x 1000 = $2,420/month

4. Identity & Access Monitoring

a. Azure AD Identity Protection

Detects high-risk sign-ins and compromised accounts.

Pricing:

Azure AD Premium P2: $9 per user per month
For 100 users: 100 x $9 = $900/month

b. Privileged Identity Management (PIM)

Manages and audits privileged admin access.

Pricing:

Included in Azure AD Premium P2
No additional cost

5. Regular Audits & Incident Response

a. Azure Security Center Compliance Audits

Runs continuous compliance checks for ISO 27001.

Pricing:

Included in Microsoft Defender for Cloud
No additional cost

b. Incident Response with Playbooks

Automates responses using Azure Logic Apps.

Pricing:

$0.002 per action
Estimated 10,000 actions per month: $20/month

Total Monthly Cost Estimation

| Service | Estimated Monthly Cost |
|---------|-----------------------|
| Microsoft Defender for Servers (29 VMs) | $895 |
| Azure Firewall with Threat Intelligence | $905 |
| Azure DDoS Protection | $2,954 |
| NSG Flow Logs | $100 |
| VPN & ExpressRoute Logs | $25 |
| Azure WAF (10 instances) | $810 |
| Azure Sentinel (1000GB logs) | $2,420 |
| Azure AD Premium P2 (100 users) | $900 |
| Incident Response Automation | $20 |
| Total Estimated Cost | $9,029/month |

Implementation Plan

Phase 1 (Week 1-2): Core Security

Enable Microsoft Defender for Cloud
Configure Azure Firewall & Threat Intelligence
Set up NSG Flow Logs & Traffic Analytics

Phase 2 (Week 3-4): Advanced Threat Detection

Deploy Azure Sentinel
Implement Azure AD Identity Protection
Enable WAF for Web Applications

Phase 3 (Week 5-6): Automation & Compliance

Configure Incident Response Playbooks
Set up ISO 27001 Security Audits
Perform an initial security assessment

Next Steps

Confirm budget approval (~$9,029/month)
Discuss optional services (DDoS protection may not be needed for internal systems)
Finalize implementation timeline

Let me know if you need adjustments or further breakdowns. 🚀