Mastering Detection Engineering with Microsoft Sentinel SIEM

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Microsoft Sentinel is a powerful SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) tool that helps organizations detect and respond to cyber threats. This guide provides 24 actionable detection use cases, complete with KQL (Kusto Query Language) queries, threat logic, and real-world examples.

You Should Know:

1. Detecting Brute Force Attacks

Brute force attacks involve repeated login attempts to gain unauthorized access. Sentinel can detect these using Windows Security Event logs.

KQL Query Example:

SecurityEvent 
| where EventID == 4625 
| summarize Attempts = count() by Account, TargetLogonId, IpAddress 
| where Attempts > 5 
| project Account, TargetLogonId, IpAddress, Attempts

Mitre ATT&CK Tactic: Initial Access (T1110)

2. Privilege Escalation Detection

Attackers often exploit misconfigurations to escalate privileges. Sysmon logs can help detect suspicious process creations.

KQL Query Example:

Sysmon 
| where EventID == 1 
| where ParentImage endswith "cmd.exe" and Image endswith "powershell.exe" 
| project TimeGenerated, CommandLine, ParentImage, Image

Mitre ATT&CK Tactic: Privilege Escalation (T1548)

3. Malware Execution via Scripts

Malware often executes via scripts (PowerShell, VBScript). Sentinel can detect unusual script executions.

KQL Query Example:

SecurityEvent 
| where EventID == 4688 
| where CommandLine contains "powershell -nop -exec bypass" 
| project TimeGenerated, CommandLine, Account

Mitre ATT&CK Tactic: Execution (T1059)

4. Lateral Movement via RDP

Attackers move laterally using RDP. Sentinel monitors RDP logs for anomalies.

KQL Query Example:

Sysmon 
| where EventID == 3 
| where DestinationPort == 3389 
| summarize count() by DestinationIp, SourceIp 
| where count_ > 3

Mitre ATT&CK Tactic: Lateral Movement (T1021)

5. Cloud-Native Threat Detection (AWS, Azure)

Sentinel integrates with cloud logs to detect suspicious activities.

KQL Query Example (AWS GuardDuty):

AWSGuardDuty 
| where severity > 6 
| summarize by findingType, accountId, region
  1. Third-Party Log Correlation (Cisco, Fortinet, Palo Alto)
    Sentinel can ingest logs from firewalls and network devices.

KQL Query Example (Palo Alto):

CommonSecurityLog 
| where DeviceVendor == "Palo Alto Networks" 
| where Activity contains "threat" 
| summarize by SourceIP, DestinationIP, ThreatName

7. Suspicious Account Creation & Deletion

Attackers create and delete accounts to maintain persistence.

KQL Query Example:

SecurityEvent 
| where EventID in (4720, 4726) 
| summarize count() by TargetAccount 
| where count_ > 2

Mitre ATT&CK Tactic: Persistence (T1136)

What Undercode Say

Microsoft Sentinel is a critical tool for SOC teams, providing advanced threat detection through KQL queries and log correlation. By leveraging these detection rules, security teams can identify brute force attacks, privilege escalation, malware execution, and lateral movement.

Key Commands & Tools:

  • KQL Queries: Essential for log analysis in Sentinel.
  • Sysmon: Enhances visibility into process executions.
  • Azure CLI: For managing Sentinel alerts (az sentinel alert-rule create).
  • PowerShell: Automates Sentinel workflows (Get-AzSentinelIncident).
  • MITRE ATT&CK Framework: Maps detections to adversary tactics.

Expected Output:

  • SOC teams gain real-time threat visibility.
  • Automated alerts reduce response time.
  • Cloud and on-premises logs are correlated for holistic security.

Prediction

As cyber threats evolve, Sentinel will integrate more AI-driven detections, reducing false positives and improving SOC efficiency.

Relevant URLs:

IT/Security Reporter URL:

Reported By: Cybermaterial Master – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅

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