azure-security

Expert knowledge for Azure Security development including best practices, decision making, security, configuration, integrations & coding patterns, and deployment. Use when signing/verifying container images, generating SBOMs, configuring AKS image policies, or using Customer Lockbox, and other A...

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SKILL.md

Full skill instructions

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-L55	End-to-end Azure security hardening guidance: identity, network, data, PaaS/IaaS apps, secrets, ransomware defenses, incident response, and service-specific security checklists.
Decision Making	L56-L60	Guidance on choosing Azure key management options (Key Vault, managed HSM, app-managed keys), including security, compliance, performance, and integration trade-offs.
Security	L61-L90	Securing Azure workloads: threat modeling mitigations, auth/crypto/logging best practices, AKS image validation, ransomware defense, Customer Lockbox, firewall/antimalware, and data protection.
Configuration	L91-L99	Configuring Azure security features: container scanning (Dependabot/Copacetic), firewall rules via domain patterns, customer-managed keys, security logging/auditing, and managed TLS/DCV changes.
Integrations & Coding Patterns	L100-L104	Guidance on generating signed SBOMs for container images, attaching them in CI/CD, and integrating software supply chain security into deployment workflows.
Deployment	L105-L111	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
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 security best practices	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/identity-management-best-practices
Implement Azure-specific incident response practices and tooling	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 operational security best practices for Azure assets	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/operational-best-practices
Secure Azure App Service web and mobile applications	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/paas-applications-using-app-services
Secure PaaS databases with Azure SQL and Synapse	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/paas-applications-using-sql
Secure PaaS web and mobile apps using Azure Storage	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/paas-applications-using-storage
Design and operate secure Azure PaaS deployments	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/paas-deployments
Prepare Azure environments to withstand ransomware attacks	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/ransomware-prepare
Apply Azure-specific protections against ransomware attacks	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/ransomware-protection
Protect secrets across Azure services and pipelines	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/secrets-best-practices
Apply security best practices to Azure Service Fabric	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/service-fabric-best-practices
Implement five-step checklist to secure Entra ID	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/steps-secure-identity
Prevent Azure subdomain takeover with DNS and App Service	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/subdomain-takeover

Decision Making

Topic	URL
Select 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
Protect sensitive data using Threat Modeling Tool mitigations	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/develop/threat-modeling-tool-sensitive-data
Implement secure session management from Threat Modeling Tool	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/develop/threat-modeling-tool-session-management
Apply Azure-specific security best practices for AI workloads	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/ai-security-best-practices
Configure Microsoft Antimalware in Azure with PowerShell	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/antimalware-code-samples
Use Azure Certificate Authority roots and requirements	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/azure-certificate-authority-details
Design Azure backup and restore plan against ransomware	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/backup-plan-to-protect-against-ransomware
Implement Azure resource security best practices	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/best-practices-and-patterns
Configure alternate email notifications for Customer Lockbox	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/customer-lockbox-alternative-email
Understand and configure Azure Customer Lockbox access	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/customer-lockbox-faq
Review Azure SQL Database built-in security features	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/infrastructure-sql
Apply Azure operational security checklist actions	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/operational-checklist
Follow Azure penetration testing rules and scope	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/pen-testing
Understand security access methods for Azure production network	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/production-network
Understand Azure controls for protection of customer data	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/protection-customer-data
Detect and respond to ransomware using Azure security tools	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/ransomware-detect-respond
Use Azure-native features to protect against ransomware	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/ransomware-features-resources
Configure Azure Firewall Premium to mitigate ransomware	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/ransomware-protection-with-azure-firewall

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 firewalls using Azure domain patterns	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/azure-domains
Identify Azure services supporting customer-managed keys	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/encryption-customer-managed-keys-support
Configure and analyze Azure security logging and auditing	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/log-audit
Adapt to upcoming Azure managed TLS and DCV changes	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/managed-tls-changes

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

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
Check Azure vs Azure Government security feature availability	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/feature-availability

Install skill

Copy and run in your terminal

npx -y skills add https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/Agent-Skills --skill azure-security

View on GitHub

skills/azure-security/SKILL.md