Security and governance are foundational elements of a successful cloud strategy. In Azure, robust security measures and comprehensive governance frameworks help protect your data, manage risks, and ensure compliance with industry and national standards.
Core Principles of Security
When securing your data, three key principles must be upheld:
- Confidentiality: Ensuring that only authorized users and systems have access to your data.
- Integrity: Maintaining the accuracy and trustworthiness of your data.
- Availability: Guaranteeing that data and systems are accessible when needed.
Azure ensures the security of the physical infrastructure, including data centers and hardware. However, responsibilities for securing operating systems, applications, and data may be shared between Azure and the customer, depending on the service model. For a detailed explanation of shared responsibilities, see “AZ-900: Describe the shared responsibility model“.
Key Components of Cloud Security
Azure provides a comprehensive set of tools and services that support security across different layers:
- Identity and Access Management (IAM): Azure uses services like Microsoft Entra ID (which used to be called Azure Active Directory) to authenticate users and devices. It also supports integration with third-party accounts such as Facebook and Google for broader authentication options.
- Threat Protection: Azure identifies threats, vulnerabilities, and attacks, offering advanced tools to detect, prevent, and respond to incidents.
- Information Protection: Sensitive data is protected and classified through access controls and encryption technologies, ensuring that only authorized individuals can access critical information.
- Insider Risk Management: Access is granted strictly based on user needs, reducing the risk of unauthorized access or misuse of sensitive information.
Governance and Compliance Management
Governance involves monitoring and ensuring that security policies, processes, and best practices are consistently followed across the cloud environment.
- Compliance Management: Azure helps organizations meet regulatory requirements, whether they are industry-specific (such as healthcare, finance) or national regulations (such as GDPR or HIPAA).
To explore governance tools like Azure Policy and Microsoft Purview, see #topic 47 – Azure Policy# and #topic 46 – Microsoft Purview#.
Conclusion
By leveraging Azure’s built-in security and governance capabilities, businesses can protect their data, manage risks proactively, and confidently meet compliance obligations. A strong security posture not only protects assets but also builds trust with customers and stakeholders.
Ready to understand how Azure keeps your data secure? Dive into our AZ-900 video course at https://idodata.com/az-900-microsoft-azure-fundamentals/ and learn more! Or go back to our list of AZ-900 topics for more.
Please click here to find out more about Microsoft’s AZ-900 exam.
