How Azure Defender Tracks Suspicious Activity in Real Time?

Introduction:

Azure Defender monitors resources, identifies anomalies, and sends notifications in real-time. It uses system data, behavior monitoring, threat intelligence, and automated responses to detect and respond to threats quickly. Resource security is one of the most critical aspects in cloud computing. Microsoft Azure Training helps professionals learn how to secure resources. One of the most critical tools in Azure for securing resources is Azure Defender.

Data Collection: The Foundation of Threat Detection

Azure Defender begins with the collection of data from the environment. It does not focus on one kind of data—it focuses on several kinds of data to create a complete picture.

• Activity Logs: Records all activities carried out on Azure resources, such as configuration or deployment.

• Operating System Logs: Records system and application events on Windows or Linux virtual machines.

• Network Logs: Records activity on Azure and communication with external systems.

• Application Logs: Records usage and activity of web applications, APIs, and databases.

• Container Logs: Records containers and Kubernetes pods for runtime activity and audit data.

This data goes through a high-speed processing engine, where each activity is marked with data such as resource ID, subscription, and security status. These markers allow activities to be traced across systems, which is critical for identifying abnormal activity.

Telemetry Sources and Their Purpose:

Source	Purpose	Benefit
Activity Logs	Tracks changes in Azure resources	Shows admin operations and resource updates
Operating System Logs	Captures system and process events	Detects unusual processes and access
Network Logs	Monitors traffic and connections	Identifies lateral movement or attacks
Application Logs	Tracks API calls and app usage	Detects abnormal application behavior
Container/Kubernetes Logs	Monitors container runtime and audits	Identifies harmful or abnormal container actions

 Behavioral Monitoring: Spotting Unusual Activity

Once the data is collected, Azure Defender uses it to detect unusual activity. It establishes a baseline of what constitutes normal activity and compares new events to it.

• User Behavior: It tracks login times, location, and access privileges.

• Process Behavior: It tracks what processes are running and in what order.

• Network Behavior: It tracks what constitutes normal network activity.

When unusual activity occurs, an alert is sent. The system learns and improves over time, learning new normal patterns and eliminating false alerts. Multiple signals are used to ensure that actual threats are identified while ignoring insignificant activity. If you are preparing with the help of an Azure Certification Course you will get to know more about behavioral monitoring.

Examples of Behavioral Detection:

Behavior Type	Example of Anomaly	Alert Level
User Behavior	Log in from an unusual location	High
Process Behavior	Unexpected process sequence	Medium
Network Behavior	Unusual connection to resources	High
Container Behavior	Unauthorized process in the pod	High
Application Behavior	Spike in API requests	Medium

 Threat Intelligence and Correlation:

Azure Defender also evaluates events against known threat data. This enables quicker and more precise detection of threats.

• Global Threat Feeds: Microsoft gathers threat data from around the world.

• Industry-Specific Feeds: Offers indicators of compromise for specific industries.

• Custom Indicators: Allows organizations to create their own indicators for internal threats.

The solution correlates several signals before raising an alert. By connecting events to known attack patterns and tactics, Azure Defender adds context to help incident response teams understand the threat type and mitigation actions.

Optimization Strategies:

Component	Purpose	Benefit
Event Sampling	Reduces older event volume	Lowers storage and compute costs
Hot/Cold Storage	Separates recent and old data	Faster access to recent events
Resource Tagging	Adds metadata to resources	Improves correlation and detection
Hybrid Identity Monitoring	Monitors AD and Azure AD	Detects compromised accounts
Automation Playbooks	Executes predefined actions	Reduces response time and errors

Sum Up:

Azure Defender monitors cloud resources in real time by collecting detailed data, analyzing behavior, using threat intelligence, and automating responses. It tracks users, processes, networks, applications, and containers. Alerts are accurate, prioritized, and actionable. Automation reduces manual work and speeds up responses. Professionals preparing for the Azure Certification Course or the Azure 104 Certification gain a strong technical understanding of how Defender secures cloud workloads. Mastering these mechanisms helps teams respond faster, protect environments effectively, and maintain a strong security posture.