Beginners guide to Microsoft Sentinel

Microsoft Sentinel is a security information and event management (SIEM) tool that helps organisations detect and respond to cyber threats in real-time. SIEM’s are designed to reduce the likelihood of an attack, the mean time to detection (MTTD) of a threat and automate the response to identified threats.

It’s important to note that if you’re new to SIEMs and Microsoft Sentinel, no tool (or tools) can provide complete protection against threats or threat actors. Rather, it can improve your security posture by reducing the likelihood an attack goes unnoticed and automating the response to an identified threat (reducing the mean time to response, (MTTR)).

This guide will give you an overview of Microsoft Sentinel, how it can help protect your business and which organisations gain the most from this tool.

• What is Microsoft Sentinel?

At its heart, Microsoft Sentinel is a platform that allows organisations to collect, analyse, and act on data from various sources – such as cloud and on-premises systems or applications – in order to detect and respond to security threats. The tool provides real-time monitoring and alerting capabilities, as well as the ability to investigate and respond to threats quickly through the use of automation and orchestration.

• How does Microsoft Sentinel work?

Microsoft Sentinel uses a combination of machine learning and human expertise to analyse data from various sources and identify potential threats. When a potential threat is detected, the tool generates an alert and provides information about the nature of the threat and its potential impact. This allows security teams to investigate and take appropriate action to mitigate the threat.

• Why do organisations choose Microsoft Sentinel?

Many organisations choose Sentinel due to –

1. their strategic alignment with Microsoft products
2. its deep native integrations within popular third party services
3. its ability to deliver value quickly versus competitive products
4. the organisation will not lose access to the service and their data in the event they change Security Service Provider

• What are the benefits of using Microsoft Sentinel?

There are several benefits to using Microsoft Sentinel, including:

1. Improved threat detection and response: By providing real-time monitoring and alerting capabilities, Microsoft Sentinel helps organizations detect and respond to threats quickly.
2. Integration with other security solutions: Microsoft Sentinel can integrate with other security tools and solutions, giving organizations a more complete view of their security posture.
3. Cloud security: The tool can help organizations monitor and secure their cloud environments, giving them greater visibility into potential threats.
4. Automation: Microsoft Sentinel can automate some routine tasks, allowing security teams to focus on more high-value activities.

• Can anybody use Microsoft Sentinel?

Whilst nearly anyone could navigate data contained within a workbook, expertise is required to prioritise and classify incidents within Sentinel, develop  runbook automation and understand the greater meaning behind an identified threat in order to respond accordingly. Sentinel, at its best, is a blend of machine analytics and human intelligence.

• Which types of organisation benefit the most from Microsoft Sentinel?

Whilst all organisations could enjoy some benefit from Sentinel, organisations that gain the greatest advantage from sentinel are those with sensitive data or prone to attack. This includes;

1. Large Organisations: Large businesses are prominent and have a large data estate with many different attack vectors, in which manually responding to each threat is simply not feasible.
2. Government: Government organisations are frequently the target of cyber attacks due to their prominence and access to sensitive data. The more prominent an organisation the greater the likelihood of an attack.
3. Healthcare and Finance: These organisations have access to valuable information including sensitive financial and patient records

• How can I get started with Microsoft Sentinel?

If you’re interested in using Microsoft Sentinel to protect your business, the first step is to work with Azured’s Sentinel Starter Kit. Our Starter Kit is designed to establish a Sentinel foundation within your environment from which you can build out as your organisation grows.

We hope this beginner’s guide has given you a good overview of Microsoft Sentinel and how it can help protect your business. For more information or to discover how we can help you, contact the team today.

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