Tutorial / Cram Notes
They are used to store data that you can correlate with alerts and events in your environment. This tool can significantly enhance the capabilities of a Security Operations Analyst preparing for or have passed the SC-200 Microsoft Security Operations Analyst exam to monitor threats and take appropriate actions.
Creating and Managing Watchlists
To get started with watchlists in Microsoft Sentinel, the first step is to construct your watchlist. Here’s how to manage that process:
- Access the Watchlist Area: Navigate to Microsoft Sentinel > Configuration > Watchlist.
- Create a New Watchlist: Select the option to create a new watchlist and provide a relevant name and description.
- Upload Your Data: You can upload a CSV file containing your watchlist items. The file should have headers that describe the data.
- Define the Schema: Depending on the method of upload, you may need to define the schema of your data manually, mapping the columns in the CSV file to the relevant data fields.
Once your watchlist is set up, it’s ready to be used for correlating with other security data.
Using Watchlists
Here’s how an analyst can use watchlists in practice:
- Threat Intelligence: For example, if you have a list of suspicious IP addresses, you could use this as a watchlist to cross-reference against incoming network traffic data to spot potential threats.
- User Access Behavior: With a watchlist containing user access patterns or high-privilege user accounts, you can quickly identify deviations from the norm, which might indicate a potential breach or insider threat.
- Asset Management: Watchlists can hold details about critical assets within your organization. Anything that communicates with these assets can be monitored more closely for signs of unauthorized access or exploitation.
Integration with Azure Sentinel analytics rules further enhances the use of watchlists, where you can create custom rules that trigger alerts when conditions are met involving data found in your watchlists.
Examples of Watchlist Usage
Here are a few practical examples of how a watchlist can be beneficial for a Security Operations Analyst:
Example 1: Indicators of Compromise (IoC)
You can maintain a watchlist of known IoCs such as file hashes, IP addresses, or domain names. When any log or telemetry data matches an entry in this list, it can generate an alert for further investigation.
Example 2: Previous Incidents Review
If your organization has a history of specific security events or incidents, these can be documented in a watchlist. Future alerts can then be compared against this list to identify patterns or recurring incidents.
Example 3: Sensitive Accounts Monitoring
Create a watchlist with the usernames or account details of sensitive or high-profile users in your company. Monitor logs for any unusual access patterns involving these accounts.
Best Practices for Watchlists
To make the most out of watchlists, adhere to the following best practices:
- Regular Updates: Keep your watchlists up-to-date with the latest information to ensure they remain relevant and effective.
- Data Privacy: Ensure that you are compliant with your organization’s data privacy policies when creating watchlists, especially when they contain sensitive information.
- Role-Based Access: Restrict access to your watchlists to authorized personnel only, to prevent misuse of sensitive data.
Conclusion
Watchlists can be a powerful aid in the realm of security operations. By understanding how to create and use them effectively, Security Operations Analysts can enhance their monitoring and alerting processes. The integration of watchlists with Microsoft’s security tools enables analysts to quickly respond to potential threats, ensure compliance, and maintain a strong security posture in their organization.
Practice Test with Explanation
T/F: Watchlists in Microsoft’s security solutions can be used to store IP addresses that you want to monitor more closely.
True
Watchlists are a feature in Microsoft’s security solutions that allow analysts to store and monitor data such as IP addresses, user information, and other indicators for more focused analysis.
T/F: Once data is placed into a watchlist, it cannot be modified or removed.
False
Data in a watchlist can be updated or removed as needed. Watchlists are designed to be dynamic tools that can adapt to the changing security landscape.
Which of the following can be included in a watchlist? (Select all that apply)
- A) IP addresses
- B) File hashes
- C) User accounts
- D) Security alerts
A, B, C
Watchlists can include various types of indicators, such as IP addresses, file hashes, and user accounts, providing analysts with a way to track and monitor these elements. Security alerts, however, are not included in watchlists, as they are outputs of security monitoring systems.
T/F: Watchlists in Microsoft Security Solutions are used to automatically block traffic from specific IP addresses.
False
Watchlists are used for monitoring and analysis, not for automated blocking. They support security operations analysts by providing additional context, rather than acting as a firewall or other blocking mechanism.
In Microsoft Sentinel, where can you go to create and manage watchlists?
- A) Azure Active Directory
- B) Microsoft 365 security center
- C) Microsoft Defender Security Center
- D) Microsoft Sentinel
D
In Microsoft Sentinel, watchlists are created and managed directly within the platform, not in Azure Active Directory, Microsoft 365 security center, or Microsoft Defender Security Center.
T/F: You can use watchlist data to enrich alerts with additional context in Microsoft Security Operations solutions.
True
Watchlists can be leveraged to add additional context to alerts, helping analysts make more informed decisions by correlating current incidents with watchlisted entities that may be related to them.
What is the maximum size limit for a watchlist file in Microsoft Sentinel?
- A) 25 MB
- B) 5 MB
- C) 100 MB
- D) There is no size limit
A
The maximum file size for a watchlist in Microsoft Sentinel is 25 MB, ensuring that the platform can process the data efficiently without overwhelming system resources.
T/F: Watchlists in Microsoft Sentinel support real-time ingestion of data from live sources.
False
Microsoft Sentinel’s watchlists are not designed for real-time ingestion; instead, they are populated through file uploads, such as CSV files.
How often can you update watchlists in Microsoft Sentinel?
- A) Once a day
- B) They update in real-time
- C) Hourly
- D) Manually, as required
D
Watchlists can be updated manually by the user as required. There is no set schedule, allowing for flexibility based on when new data becomes available or changes need to be made.
T/F: You need to have a specific role assigned to be able to manage watchlists in Microsoft Sentinel.
True
To manage watchlists in Microsoft Sentinel, you need to have the appropriate permissions, such as being assigned a role that provides access to manage watchlists and data sources.
What is the primary purpose of using watchlists in security operations?
- A) Automatically resolve security incidents
- B) Monitor and track indicators for enhanced analysis
- C) Provide real-time threat intelligence feeds
- D) Back up security data for compliance
B
The primary purpose of using watchlists in security operations is to monitor and track indicators of compromise or other security-related data points to enhance the analysis and investigation process.
T/F: Watchlists can be shared across different tenants in Microsoft Sentinel.
False
Watchlists are specific to the tenant in which they are created in Microsoft Sentinel and cannot be directly shared across different tenants. Each tenant would need to create its own watchlists.
Interview Questions
What is a watchlist in Microsoft Sentinel?
A watchlist in Microsoft Sentinel is a list of items that you want to monitor for potential security threats or risks.
What can you include in a watchlist?
You can include various items in a watchlist, such as IP addresses, domain names, email addresses, file hashes, and usernames.
How do you create a watchlist in Microsoft Sentinel?
You can create a watchlist in Microsoft Sentinel by using the Watchlist feature in the Navigation menu, and then selecting the “New watchlist” option.
What are the types of watchlists that you can create in Microsoft Sentinel?
There are three types of watchlists that you can create in Microsoft Sentinel, namely Static watchlist, Dynamic watchlist, and Custom watchlist.
What is a static watchlist in Microsoft Sentinel?
A static watchlist in Microsoft Sentinel is a list of items that you manually add and remove from the watchlist, and the list remains unchanged until you modify it.
What is a dynamic watchlist in Microsoft Sentinel?
A dynamic watchlist in Microsoft Sentinel is a list of items that are added to or removed from the watchlist automatically based on a defined search query or alert rule.
What is a custom watchlist in Microsoft Sentinel?
A custom watchlist in Microsoft Sentinel is a watchlist that you import from a file, such as a CSV file, or an API call.
How do you manage a watchlist in Microsoft Sentinel?
You can manage a watchlist in Microsoft Sentinel by using the Watchlist feature in the Navigation menu, and then selecting the watchlist that you want to modify.
What actions can you perform on a watchlist in Microsoft Sentinel?
You can perform various actions on a watchlist in Microsoft Sentinel, such as adding or removing items, modifying the name or description, and enabling or disabling the watchlist.
How can you use watchlists in Microsoft Sentinel?
You can use watchlists in Microsoft Sentinel to monitor network activity, detect potential security threats, and generate alerts or incidents based on the items in the watchlist.
Great post on managing and using watchlists for the SC-200 exam! Very helpful.
Can anyone explain the difference between a watchlist and an allowlist?
Does anyone have tips on organizing watchlists for efficient management?
Loved the part about integrating watchlists with Microsoft Sentinel!
Make sure to set proper access controls on your watchlists to avoid unauthorized changes.
For the SC-200 exam, how in-depth do we need to understand creating and managing watchlists?
I found it useful to use PowerShell scripts to automate the updates for watchlists.
Do watchlists in Microsoft Sentinel support custom attributes?