Version: 1.0.0
Author: Marcus Jacobson
License: MIT
Repository: GitHub
Project Status
- Foundation Infrastructure: COMPLETE
- Analytics Rules (NRT): COMPLETE
- Analytics Rules (Scheduled): COMPLETE
- Watchlist Automation: COMPLETE
- Hunting Queries: Planned
- Automation Rules: Planned
- Workbooks: Planned
- Data Connectors: Available via Content Hub
Project Goal
This project provides a comprehensive automation framework for deploying and managing Microsoft Sentinel environments using Azure DevOps Pipelines. The framework enables organizations to implement security operations at scale with consistency, repeatability, and governance through Infrastructure as Code (IaC) principles.
This project is specifically designed for Azure DevOps environments and implements enterprise-grade security automation patterns for Microsoft Sentinel deployment and management.
Project Outcomes
- Automated Infrastructure Deployment: Complete Log Analytics Workspace and Microsoft Sentinel deployment automation
- Security Content Management: Automated deployment of analytics rules (both NRT and Scheduled) with validation
- Watchlist Automation: CSV-based watchlist deployment with comprehensive validation and change management
- Enterprise Security Standards: Role-based access control and least privilege principles implementation
- Scalable Architecture: Multi-environment support with standardized configurations and governance
- Operational Excellence: Comprehensive logging, validation, and troubleshooting capabilities
Features
Infrastructure Automation
- Sentinel-Create: Complete foundation infrastructure deployment including Resource Groups, Log Analytics Workspaces, and Microsoft Sentinel enablement
- Resource Management: Intelligent handling of existing resources with validation and conflict resolution
- Security Configuration: Enterprise-grade security settings and compliance standards
- Multi-Environment Support: Standardized deployment patterns for Development, Testing, and Production environments
Analytics Rules Management
- NRT Analytics Rules: Near Real-Time threat detection rule deployment with KQL validation and performance optimization
- Scheduled Analytics Rules: Time-based threat detection with advanced scheduling and alert configuration
- KQL Processing: External KQL file processing with comment preservation and syntax validation
- Template Validation: Comprehensive validation ensuring consistency between templates and pipeline parameters
Watchlist Automation
- CSV-Based Deployment: Automated watchlist creation and updates from CSV data sources
- Data Validation: Advanced CSV validation including data type detection, duplicate identification, and format verification
- Change Management: Intelligent updates with schema change detection and watchlist recreation when necessary
- Security Validation: CSV injection detection and data integrity verification
Enterprise Integration
- Azure DevOps Pipelines: Complete YAML pipeline configurations with parameter validation and error handling
- Service Principal Authentication: Secure authentication patterns with least privilege access control
- Deployment Orchestration: Phased deployment with dependency management and rollback capabilities
- Comprehensive Logging: Detailed deployment logs with troubleshooting guidance and validation statistics
Usage
This project serves as a production-ready framework for organizations implementing Microsoft Sentinel at scale. The structured approach enables:
Consistent Deployments: Standardized infrastructure and security content deployment across multiple environments with governance controls.
Security Operations Automation: Automated deployment of threat detection rules, watchlists, and security configurations reducing manual effort and human error.
Enterprise Governance: Built-in validation, access controls, and audit capabilities meeting enterprise security and compliance requirements.
Operational Efficiency: Streamlined security operations with automated deployment pipelines and comprehensive validation reducing deployment time from hours to minutes.
Architecture Overview
The framework implements a layered architecture with clear separation of concerns:
Foundation Layer (Phase 1)
- Resource Group creation and management
- Log Analytics Workspace deployment with retention and pricing configuration
- Microsoft Sentinel enablement with security controls
Security Content Layer (Phase 2)
- Analytics rules deployment (both NRT and Scheduled)
- Watchlist automation with data validation
- Security configuration and compliance enforcement
Future Extensions (Phase 3)
- Hunting queries deployment
- Automation rules and playbooks
- Custom workbooks and dashboards
Contributing
This project welcomes contributions to expand automation capabilities. To contribute:
- Review the existing patterns and architectural decisions in the repository
- Follow the established PowerShell and Bicep coding standards
- Ensure comprehensive testing including validation scenarios
- Document new features with clear examples and troubleshooting guidance
- Submit pull requests with detailed descriptions of changes and testing performed
For specific implementation details, deployment procedures, and troubleshooting guidance, please visit the complete documentation in the GitHub repository.
License
This project is distributed under the MIT Open Source license. You are welcome to re-use these automation frameworks for your own organizational deployments, though they are not intended for direct commercial redistribution.
Additional Resources
For detailed implementation guidance, please visit the complete Sentinel-as-Code repository which includes:
- Complete installation and configuration procedures
- Detailed pipeline documentation and troubleshooting guides
- Security requirements and service principal configuration
- Sample analytics rules, watchlists, and validation scenarios
- Future roadmap and planned automation expansions
To see other security automation projects, please visit the root of the Projects repository.