azure-security

name	azure-security
description	Expert knowledge for Azure Security development including best practices, decision making, security, configuration, integrations & coding patterns, and deployment. Use when securing AKS images, Azure Antimalware, CMK/Key Vault, Lockbox, or Notation-signed container pipelines, and other Azure Security related development tasks. Not for Azure Defender For Cloud (use azure-defender-for-cloud), Azure Sentinel (use azure-sentinel), Azure DDoS Protection (use azure-ddos-protection), Azure Web Application Firewall (use azure-web-application-firewall).
compatibility	Requires network access. Uses mcp_microsoftdocs:microsoft_docs_fetch or fetch_webpage to retrieve documentation.
metadata	{"generated_at":"2026-08-09","generator":"docs2skills/1.0.0"}

Azure Security Skill

This skill provides expert guidance for Azure Security. Covers best practices, decision making, security, configuration, integrations & coding patterns, and deployment. It combines local quick-reference content with remote documentation fetching capabilities.

How to Use This Skill

IMPORTANT for Agent: Use the Category Index below to locate relevant sections. For categories with line ranges (e.g., L35-L120), use read_file with the specified lines. For categories with file links (e.g., [security.md](security.md)), use read_file on the linked reference file

IMPORTANT for Agent: If metadata.generated_at is more than 3 months old, suggest the user pull the latest version from the repository. If mcp_microsoftdocs tools are not available, suggest the user install it: Installation Guide

This skill requires network access to fetch documentation content:

• Preferred: Use mcp_microsoftdocs:microsoft_docs_fetch with query string from=learn-agent-skill. Returns Markdown.
• Fallback: Use fetch_webpage with query string from=learn-agent-skill&accept=text/markdown. Returns Markdown.

Category Index

Category	Lines	Description
Best Practices	L34-L58	End-to-end Azure security guidance: hardening IaaS/PaaS, identity and access, network and operational security, backups and ransomware resilience, secrets management, and service-specific checklists.
Decision Making	L59-L64	Guidance on choosing Azure security options, including comparing security features in US Gov clouds and selecting appropriate key management (Key Vault, managed keys, BYOK).
Security	L65-L97	Platform-level and workload security: threat modeling mitigations, AKS image validation, crypto/authz/session hardening, Azure infra/network/SQL security, keys, Lockbox, Secure/Measured Boot, and integrity monitoring.
Configuration	L98-L108	Configuring Azure security features: antimalware, container scanning (Dependabot/Copacetic), firewall rules, CMK encryption, logging/auditing, TLS changes, ransomware protections, and Customer Lockbox alerts.
Integrations & Coding Patterns	L109-L114	Guides for generating signed SBOMs for container images and scripting Microsoft Antimalware configuration in Azure using PowerShell.
Deployment	L115-L120	Guides for signing and verifying container images with Notation in Azure Pipelines/GitHub Actions, plus comparing security feature availability in Azure vs Azure Government.

Best Practices

Topic	URL
Harden Azure Marketplace images before publishing	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/azure-marketplace-images
Design Azure backup and restore plans against ransomware	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/backup-plan-to-protect-against-ransomware
Implement Azure security best practices and patterns	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/best-practices-and-patterns
Apply Azure data security and encryption best practices	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/data-encryption-best-practices
Use Azure SQL database security checklist	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/database-security-checklist
Secure Azure IaaS workloads and virtual machines	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/iaas
Apply Azure identity and access control best practices	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/identity-management-best-practices
Implement incident response processes for Azure	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/incident-response-overview
Apply Azure network security best practices	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/network-best-practices
Apply Azure operational security best practices	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/operational-best-practices
Secure Azure App Service PaaS applications

Decision Making

Topic	URL
Compare security feature availability in US Government clouds	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/feature-availability
Choose the right Azure key management solution	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/key-management-choose

Security

Topic	URL
Enforce AKS image signature validation with Ratify and Azure Policy	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/container-secure-supply-chain/articles/validating-image-signatures-using-ratify-aks
Implement auditing and logging mitigations with Threat Modeling Tool	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/develop/threat-modeling-tool-auditing-and-logging
Implement authentication mitigations with Threat Modeling Tool	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/develop/threat-modeling-tool-authentication
Mitigate authorization threats in Threat Modeling Tool	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/develop/threat-modeling-tool-authorization
Secure communications based on Threat Modeling Tool findings	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/develop/threat-modeling-tool-communication-security
Harden configuration management using Threat Modeling Tool mitigations	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/develop/threat-modeling-tool-configuration-management
Implement cryptography mitigations from Threat Modeling Tool	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/develop/threat-modeling-tool-cryptography
Secure exception management using Threat Modeling Tool guidance	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/develop/threat-modeling-tool-exception-management
Apply secure input validation mitigations from Threat Modeling Tool	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/develop/threat-modeling-tool-input-validation

Configuration

Topic	URL
Configure Dependabot and Copacetic for container security	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/container-secure-supply-chain/articles/container-secure-supply-chain-implementation/cssc-depenadabot-quickstart
Configure Microsoft Antimalware for Azure workloads	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/antimalware
Plan firewall rules using Azure domain patterns	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/azure-domains
Configure alternate email notifications for Customer Lockbox	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/customer-lockbox-alternative-email
Configure Azure security logging and auditing	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/log-audit
Adapt to Azure managed TLS feature changes	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/managed-tls-changes
Configure Azure-native features for ransomware protection	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/ransomware-features-resources

Integrations & Coding Patterns

Topic	URL
Create and attach signed SBOMs to container images	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/container-secure-supply-chain/articles/attach-sbom
Use PowerShell to configure Microsoft Antimalware in Azure	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/antimalware-code-samples

Deployment

Topic	URL
Sign and verify container images in Azure Pipelines with Notation	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/container-secure-supply-chain/articles/notation-ado-task-sign
Sign container images with Notation in GitHub Actions	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/container-secure-supply-chain/articles/notation-sign-gha
Verify container image signatures with Notation in GitHub Actions	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/container-secure-supply-chain/articles/verify-gha