Azure Policy built-in initiative definitions
This page is an index of Azure Policy built-in initiative definitions.
The name on each built-in links to the initiative definition source on the Azure Policy GitHub repo. The built-ins are grouped by the category property in metadata. To go to a specific category, use Ctrl-F for your browser's search feature.
Automanage
| Name | Description | Policies | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Preview]: Audit configuration against Automanage Best Practices | Automanage Machine Best Practices ensures that managed resources are setup in accordance with the desired state as defined in the assigned Configuration Profile. | 6 | 1.0.1-preview |
ChangeTrackingAndInventory
| Name | Description | Policies | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Preview]: Enable ChangeTracking and Inventory for Arc-enabled virtual machines | Enable ChangeTracking and Inventory for Arc-enabled virtual machines. Takes Data Collection Rule ID as parameter and asks for an option to input applicable locations. | 6 | 1.0.0-preview |
| [Preview]: Enable ChangeTracking and Inventory for virtual machine scale sets | Enable ChangeTracking and Inventory for virtual machine scale sets. Takes Data Collection Rule ID as parameter and asks for an option to input applicable locations and user-assigned identity for Azure Monitor Agent. | 7 | 1.1.0-preview |
| [Preview]: Enable ChangeTracking and Inventory for virtual machines | Enable ChangeTracking and Inventory for virtual machines. Takes Data Collection Rule ID as parameter and asks for an option to input applicable locations and user-assigned identity for Azure Monitor Agent. | 7 | 1.1.0-preview |
Cosmos DB
| Name | Description | Policies | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enable Azure Cosmos DB throughput policy | Enable throughput control for Azure Cosmos DB resources in the specified scope (Management group, Subscription or resource group). Takes max throughput as parameter. Use this policy to help enforce throughput control via the resource provider. | 2 | 1.0.0 |
General
| Name | Description | Policies | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allow Usage Cost Resources | Allow resources to be deployed except MCPP, M365. | 2 | 1.0.0 |
Guest Configuration
| Name | Description | Policies | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Preview]: Deploy prerequisites to enable Guest Configuration policies on virtual machines using user-assigned managed identity | This initiative adds a user-assigned managed identity and deploys the platform-appropriate Guest Configuration extension to virtual machines that are eligible to be monitored by Guest Configuration policies. This is a prerequisite for all Guest Configuration policies and must be assigned to the policy assignment scope before using any Guest Configuration policy. For more information on Guest Configuration, visit https://aka.ms/gcpol. | 3 | 1.0.0-preview |
| [Preview]: Windows machines should meet requirements for the Azure compute security baseline | This initiative audits Windows machines with settings that do not meet the Azure compute security baseline. For details, please visit https://aka.ms/gcpol | 29 | 2.0.1-preview |
| Audit machines with insecure password security settings | This initiative deploys the policy requirements and audits machines with insecure password security settings. For more information on Guest Configuration policies, please visit https://aka.ms/gcpol | 9 | 1.1.0 |
| Configure secure communication protocols(TLS 1.1 or TLS 1.2) on Windows machine(including prerequisites) | Creates a Guest Configuration assignment(including prerequisites) to configure specified secure protocol version(TLS 1.1 or TLS 1.2) on Windows machine. For details, visit https://aka.ms/SetSecureProtocol | 3 | 1.0.0 |
| Deploy prerequisites to enable Guest Configuration policies on virtual machines | This initiative adds a system-assigned managed identity and deploys the platform-appropriate Guest Configuration extension to virtual machines that are eligible to be monitored by Guest Configuration policies. This is a prerequisite for all Guest Configuration policies and must be assigned to the policy assignment scope before using any Guest Configuration policy. For more information on Guest Configuration, visit https://aka.ms/gcpol. | 4 | 1.0.0 |
Kubernetes
| Name | Description | Policies | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Preview]: Use Image Integrity to ensure only trusted images are deployed | Use Image Integrity to ensure AKS clusters deploy only trusted images by enabling the Image Integrity and Azure Policy Add-Ons on AKS clusters. Image Integrity Add-On and Azure Policy Add-On are both pre-requisites to using Image Integrity to verify if image is signed upon deployment. For more info, visit https://aka.ms/aks/image-integrity. | 3 | 1.1.0-preview |
| [Preview]: Deployment safeguards should help guide developers towards AKS recommended best practices | A collection of Kubernetes best practices that are recommended by Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS). For the best experience, use deployment safeguards to assign this policy initiative: https://aka.ms/aks/deployment-safeguards. Azure Policy Add-On for AKS is a pre-requisite for applying these best practices to your clusters. For instructions on enabling the Azure Policy Add-On, go to aka.ms/akspolicydoc | 20 | 1.9.0-preview |
| Kubernetes cluster pod security baseline standards for Linux-based workloads | This initiative includes the policies for the Kubernetes cluster pod security baseline standards. This policy is generally available for Kubernetes Service (AKS), and preview for Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes. For instructions on using this policy, visit https://aka.ms/kubepolicydoc. | 5 | 1.4.0 |
| Kubernetes cluster pod security restricted standards for Linux-based workloads | This initiative includes the policies for the Kubernetes cluster pod security restricted standards. This policy is generally available for Kubernetes Service (AKS), and preview for Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes. For instructions on using this policy, visit https://aka.ms/kubepolicydoc. | 8 | 2.5.0 |
Managed Identity
| Name | Description | Policies | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Preview]: Managed Identity Federated Credentials should be of approved types from approved federation sources | Control use of federated credentials for Managed Identities. This initiative incudes policies to block federated identity credentials altogether, to limit use to specific federation provider types, and to limit federation reationships to approved sources. | 3 | 1.0.0-preview |
Monitoring
| Name | Description | Policies | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Preview]: Configure Azure Defender for SQL agents on virtual machines | Configure virtual machines to automatically install the Azure Defender for SQL agents where the Azure Monitor Agent is installed. Security Center collects events from the agents and uses them to provide security alerts and tailored hardening tasks (recommendations). Creates a resource group and Log Analytics workspace in the same region as the machine. This policy only applies to VMs in a few regions. | 2 | 1.0.0-preview |
| Configure Linux machines to run Azure Monitor Agent and associate them to a Data Collection Rule | Monitor and secure your Linux virtual machines, virtual machine scale sets, and Arc machines by deploying the Azure Monitor Agent extension and associating the machines with a specified Data Collection Rule. Deployment will occur on machines with supported OS images (or machines matching the provided list of images) in supported regions. | 4 | 3.2.0 |
| Configure Windows machines to run Azure Monitor Agent and associate them to a Data Collection Rule | Monitor and secure your Windows virtual machines, virtual machine scale sets, and Arc machines by deploying the Azure Monitor Agent extension and associating the machines with a specified Data Collection Rule. Deployment will occur on machines with supported OS images (or machines matching the provided list of images) in supported regions. | 4 | 3.2.0 |
| Deploy Linux Azure Monitor Agent with user-assigned managed identity-based auth and associate with Data Collection Rule | Monitor your Linux virtual machines and virtual machine scale sets by deploying the Azure Monitor Agent extension with user-assigned managed identity authentication and associating with specified Data Collection Rule. Azure Monitor Agent Deployment will occur on machines with supported OS images (or machines matching the provided list of images) in supported regions. | 5 | 2.3.0 |
| Deploy Windows Azure Monitor Agent with user-assigned managed identity-based auth and associate with Data Collection Rule | Monitor your Windows virtual machines and virtual machine scale sets by deploying the Azure Monitor Agent extension with user-assigned managed identity authentication and associating with specified Data Collection Rule. Azure Monitor Agent Deployment will occur on machines with supported OS images (or machines matching the provided list of images) in supported regions. | 5 | 2.3.0 |
| Enable allLogs category group resource logging for supported resources to Event Hub | Resource logs should be enabled to track activities and events that take place on your resources and give you visibility and insights into any changes that occur. This initiative deploys diagnostic setting using the allLogs category group to route logs to Event Hub for all supported resources. | 140 | 1.0.0 |
| Enable allLogs category group resource logging for supported resources to Log Analytics | Resource logs should be enabled to track activities and events that take place on your resources and give you visibility and insights into any changes that occur. This initiative deploys diagnostic setting using the allLogs category group to route logs to an Event Hub for all supported resources | 140 | 1.0.0 |
| Enable allLogs category group resource logging for supported resources to storage | Resource logs should be enabled to track activities and events that take place on your resources and give you visibility and insights into any changes that occur. This initiative deploys diagnostic setting using the allLogs category group to route logs to storage for all supported resources. | 140 | 1.0.0 |
| Enable audit category group resource logging for supported resources to Event Hub | Resource logs should be enabled to track activities and events that take place on your resources and give you visibility and insights into any changes that occur. This initiative deploys diagnostic setting using the audit category group to route logs to Event Hub for all supported resources | 69 | 1.1.0 |
| Enable audit category group resource logging for supported resources to Log Analytics | Resource logs should be enabled to track activities and events that take place on your resources and give you visibility and insights into any changes that occur. This initiative deploys diagnostic setting using the audit category group to route logs to Log Analytics for all supported resources. | 69 | 1.1.0 |
| Enable audit category group resource logging for supported resources to storage | Resource logs should be enabled to track activities and events that take place on your resources and give you visibility and insights into any changes that occur. This initiative deploys diagnostic setting using the audit category group to route logs to storage for all supported resources. | 69 | 1.1.0 |
| Enable Azure Monitor for Hybrid VMs with AMA | Enable Azure Monitor for the hybrid virtual machines with AMA. | 6 | 1.0.0 |
| Enable Azure Monitor for VMs with Azure Monitoring Agent(AMA) | Enable Azure Monitor for the virtual machines (VMs) with AMA. | 7 | 1.2.0 |
| Enable Azure Monitor for VMSS with Azure Monitoring Agent(AMA) | Enable Azure Monitor for the virtual machines scale set (VMSS) with AMA. | 7 | 1.2.0 |
| Legacy - Enable Azure Monitor for Virtual Machine Scale Sets | Legacy - Enable Azure Monitor for the Virtual Machine Scale Sets in the specified scope (Management group, Subscription or resource group). Takes Log Analytics workspace as parameter. Use the new initiative named: Enable Azure Monitor for VMSS with Azure Monitoring Agent(AMA). Note: if your scale set upgradePolicy is set to Manual, you need to apply the extension to the all VMs in the set by calling upgrade on them. In CLI this would be az vmss update-instances. | 6 | 1.0.2 |
| Legacy - Enable Azure Monitor for VMs | Legacy - Enable Azure Monitor for the virtual machines (VMs) in the specified scope (management group, subscription or resource group). Takes Log Analytics workspace as parameter. Use the new initiative named: Enable Azure Monitor for VMs with Azure Monitoring Agent(AMA) | 10 | 2.0.1 |
Network
| Name | Description | Policies | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flow logs should be configured and enabled for every network security group | Audit for network security groups to verify if flow logs are configured and if flow log status is enabled. Enabling flow logs allows to log information about IP traffic flowing through network security group. It can be used for optimizing network flows, monitoring throughput, verifying compliance, detecting intrusions and more. | 2 | 1.0.0 |
Nexus
| Name | Description | Policies | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Preview]: Nexus Compute Cluster Security Baseline | This initiative includes policies designed to reflect the security baseline expectations of Nexus Compute Clusters. It ensures that the cluster configurations adhere to specific security controls that are critical for maintaining a secure environment. | 13 | 1.0.0-preview |
Regulatory Compliance
| Name | Description | Policies | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Preview]: Australian Government ISM PROTECTED | This initiative includes policies that address a subset of Australian Government Information Security Manual (ISM) controls. Additional policies will be added in upcoming releases. For more information, visit https://aka.ms/auism-initiative. | 45 | 8.6.0-preview |
| [Preview]: CMMC 2.0 Level 2 | This initiative includes policies that address a subset of CMMC 2.0 Level 2 practices. Additional policies will be added in upcoming releases. For more information, visit https://aka.ms/cmmc2l2-initiative. | 234 | 2.15.0-preview |
| [Preview]: Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) | This initiative includes audit and virtual machine extension deployment policies that address a subset of Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) security and guidelines controls. Additional policies will be added in upcoming releases. For more information, visit https://aka.ms/mpaa-init. | 33 | 4.4.0-preview |
| [Preview]: Reserve Bank of India - IT Framework for Banks | This initiative includes policies that address a subset of Reserve Bank of India IT Framework for Banks controls. Additional policies will be added in upcoming releases. For more information, visit https://aka.ms/rbiitfbanks-initiative. | 156 | 1.16.0-preview |
| [Preview]: Reserve Bank of India - IT Framework for NBFC | This initiative includes policies that address a subset of Reserve Bank of India IT Framework for Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFC) controls. Additional policies will be added in upcoming releases. For more information, visit https://aka.ms/rbiitfnbfc-initiative. | 124 | 2.12.0-preview |
| [Preview]: Sovereignty Baseline - Confidential Policies | The Microsoft Cloud for Sovereignty recommends confidential policies to help organizations achieve their sovereignty goals by default denying the creation of resources outside of approved regions, denying resources that are not backed by Azure Confidential Computing, and denying data storage resources that are not using Customer-Managed Keys. More details can be found here: https://aka.ms/SovereigntyBaselinePolicies | 17 | 1.0.1-preview |
| [Preview]: Sovereignty Baseline - Global Policies | The Microsoft Cloud for Sovereignty recommends global policies to help organizations achieve their sovereignty goals by default denying the creation of resources outside of approved regions. More details can be found here: https://aka.ms/SovereigntyBaselinePolicies | 5 | 1.1.0-preview |
| [Preview]: SWIFT CSP-CSCF v2020 | This initiative includes audit and virtual machine extension deployment policies that address a subset of SWIFT CSP-CSCF v2020 controls. Additional policies will be added in upcoming releases. For more information, visit https://aka.ms/swift2020-init. | 52 | 6.4.0-preview |
| [Preview]: SWIFT CSP-CSCF v2021 | This initiative includes policies that address a subset of the SWIFT Customer Security Program's Customer Security Controls Framework v2021 controls. Additional policies will be added in upcoming releases. For more information, visit https://aka.ms/swift2021-init. | 127 | 4.11.0-preview |
| ACAT for Microsoft 365 Certification | App Compliance Automation Tool for Microsoft 365 (ACAT) simplifies the process to achieve Microsoft 365 Certification, see https://aka.ms/acat. This certification ensures that apps have strong security and compliance practices in place to protect customer data, security, and privacy. This initiative includes policies that address a subset of the Microsoft 365 Certification controls. Additional policies will be added in upcoming releases. | 16 | 1.1.0 |
| Canada Federal PBMM | This initiative includes policies that address a subset of Canada Federal PBMM controls. Additional policies will be added in upcoming releases. For more information, visit https://aka.ms/canadafederalpbmm-init. | 49 | 8.5.0 |
| CIS Microsoft Azure Foundations Benchmark v1.1.0 | The Center for Internet Security (CIS) is a nonprofit entity whose mission is to 'identify, develop, validate, promote, and sustain best practice solutions for cyberdefense.' CIS benchmarks are configuration baselines and best practices for securely configuring a system. These policies address a subset of CIS Microsoft Azure Foundations Benchmark v1.1.0 controls. For more information, visit https://aka.ms/cisazure110-initiative | 157 | 16.8.0 |
| CIS Microsoft Azure Foundations Benchmark v1.3.0 | The Center for Internet Security (CIS) is a nonprofit entity whose mission is to 'identify, develop, validate, promote, and sustain best practice solutions for cyberdefense.' CIS benchmarks are configuration baselines and best practices for securely configuring a system. These policies address a subset of CIS Microsoft Azure Foundations Benchmark v1.3.0 controls. For more information, visit https://aka.ms/cisazure130-initiative | 173 | 8.11.0 |
| CIS Microsoft Azure Foundations Benchmark v1.4.0 | The Center for Internet Security (CIS) is a nonprofit entity whose mission is to 'identify, develop, validate, promote, and sustain best practice solutions for cyberdefense.' CIS benchmarks are configuration baselines and best practices for securely configuring a system. These policies address a subset of CIS Microsoft Azure Foundations Benchmark v1.4.0 controls. For more information, visit https://aka.ms/cisazure140-initiative | 171 | 1.11.0 |
| CIS Microsoft Azure Foundations Benchmark v2.0.0 | The Center for Internet Security (CIS) is a nonprofit entity whose mission is to 'identify, develop, validate, promote, and sustain best practice solutions for cyberdefense.' CIS benchmarks are configuration baselines and best practices for securely configuring a system. These policies address a subset of CIS Microsoft Azure Foundations Benchmark v2.0.0 controls. For more information, visit https://aka.ms/cisazure200-initiative | 208 | 1.4.0 |
| CMMC Level 3 | This initiative includes policies that address a subset of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Level 3 requirements. Additional policies will be added in upcoming releases. For more information, visit https://aka.ms/cmmc-initiative. | 152 | 11.10.0 |
| FedRAMP High | FedRAMP is a US government-wide program that provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud-based products and services. FedRAMP defines a set of controls for Low, Moderate, or High security impact level systems based on NIST baseline controls. These policies address a subset of FedRAMP (High) controls. For more information, visit https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/compliance/offerings/offering-fedramp | 719 | 17.16.0 |
| FedRAMP Moderate | FedRAMP is a U.S. government-wide program that provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud-based products and services. FedRAMP defines a set of controls for Low, Moderate, or High security impact level systems based on NIST baseline controls. These policies address a subset of FedRAMP (Moderate) controls. Additional policies will be added in upcoming releases. For more information, visit https://www.fedramp.gov/documents-templates/ | 650 | 17.15.0 |
| HITRUST/HIPAA | Health Information Trust Alliance (HITRUST) helps organizations from all sectors-but especially healthcare-effectively manage data, information risk, and compliance. HITRUST certification means that the organization has undergone a thorough assessment of the information security program. These policies address a subset of HITRUST controls. For more information, visit https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/governance/policy/samples/hipaa-hitrust-9-2 | 600 | 14.7.0 |
| IRS1075 September 2016 | This initiative includes policies that address a subset of IRS1075 September 2016 controls. Additional policies will be added in upcoming releases. For more information, visit https://aka.ms/irs1075-init. | 52 | 8.5.0 |
| ISO 27001:2013 | The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 27001 standard provides requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continuously improving an Information Security Management System (ISMS). These policies address a subset of ISO 27001:2013 controls. Additional policies will be added in upcoming releases. For more information, visit https://aka.ms/iso27001-init | 456 | 8.5.0 |
| New Zealand ISM | NZISM v3.8. The New Zealand Information Security Manual (NZISM) details processes and controls essential for the protection of all New Zealand Government information and systems. This initiative includes policies that address a subset of NZISM controls. Additional policies will be added in upcoming releases. For full details on controls, please refer to https://www.nzism.gcsb.govt.nz/ism-document. This policy set includes definitions that have a Deny effect by default. | 217 | 1.5.0 |
| NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2 | The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) promotes and maintains measurement standards and guidelines to help protect the information and information systems of federal agencies. In response to Executive Order 13556 on managing controlled unclassified information (CUI), it published NIST SP 800-171. These policies address a subset of NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2 controls. For more information, visit https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/compliance/offerings/offering-nist-800-171 | 449 | 15.15.0 |
| NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 4 | National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) SP 800-53 R4 provides a standardized approach for assessing, monitoring and authorizing cloud computing products and services to manage information security risk.These policies address a subset of NIST SP 800-53 R4 controls. Additional policies will be added in upcoming releases. For more information, visit https://aka.ms/nist800-53r4-initiative | 720 | 17.15.0 |
| NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 | National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) SP 800-53 Rev. 5 provides a standardized approach for assessing, monitoring and authorizing cloud computing products and services to manage information security risk. These policies address a subset of NIST SP 800-53 R5 controls. Additional policies will be added in upcoming releases. For more information, visit https://aka.ms/nist800-53r5-initiative | 705 | 14.15.0 |
| NL BIO Cloud Theme | This initiative includes policies that address the Dutch Baseline Informatiebeveiliging (BIO) controls specifically for the 'thema-uitwerking Clouddiensten' and include policies covered under the SOC2 and ISO 27001:2013 controls. | 242 | 1.9.0 |
| PCI DSS v4 | The Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standards (DSS) is a global information security standard designed to prevent fraud through increased control of credit card data. Compliance with PCI DSS is required for any organization that stores, processes, or transmits payment and cardholder data. These policies address a subset of PCI-DSS v4 controls. For more information, visit https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/governance/policy/samples/pci-dss-3-2-1 | 275 | 1.5.0 |
| PCI v3.2.1:2018 | This initiative includes policies that address a subset of PCI v3.2.1:2018 controls. Additional policies will be added in upcoming releases. For more information, visit https://aka.ms/pciv321-init. | 33 | 6.4.0 |
| RMIT Malaysia | This initiative includes policies that address a subset of RMIT requirements. Additional policies will be added in upcoming releases. For more information, visit aka.ms/rmit-initiative. | 194 | 9.13.0 |
| SOC 2 Type 2 | A System and Organization Controls (SOC) 2 is a report based on the Trust Service Principles and Criteria established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). The Report evaluates an organization's information system relevant to the following principles: security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and privacy. These policies address a subset of SOC 2 Type 2 controls. For more information, visit https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/compliance/offerings/offering-soc-2 | 311 | 1.10.0 |
| Spain ENS | This initiative includes policies that address National Security Scheme (ENS) controls specifically for the 'CCN-STIC 884'. This policy set includes definitions that have a Deny effect by default. | 864 | 1.4.0 |
| SWIFT CSP-CSCF v2022 | SWIFT's Customer Security Programme (CSP) helps financial institutions ensure their defences against cyberattacks are up to date and effective, to protect the integrity of the wider financial network. Users compare the security measures they have implemented with those detailed in the Customer Security Controls Framework (CSCF). These policies address a subset of SWIFT controls. For more information, visit https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/governance/policy/samples/swift-cscf-v2021 | 331 | 2.8.0 |
| UK OFFICIAL and UK NHS | This initiative includes audit and virtual machine extension deployment policies that address a subset of UK OFFICIAL and UK NHS controls. Additional policies will be added in upcoming releases. For more information, visit https://aka.ms/ukofficial-init and https://aka.ms/uknhs-init. | 49 | 9.5.0 |
Resilience
| Name | Description | Policies | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Preview]: Resources should be Zone Resilient | Some resource types can be deployed Zone Redundant (e.g. SQL Databases); some can be deploy Zone Aligned (e.g. Virtual Machines); and some can be deployed either Zone Aligned or Zone Redundant (e.g. Virtual Machine Scale Sets). Being zone aligned does not guarantee resilience, but it is the foundation on which a resilient solution can be built (e.g. three Virtual Machine Scale Sets zone aligned to three different zones in the same region with a load balancer). See https://aka.ms/AZResilience for more info. | 34 | 1.10.0-preview |
SDN
| Name | Description | Policies | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audit Public Network Access | Audit Azure resources that allow access from the public internet | 35 | 4.2.0 |
| Evaluate Private Link Usage Across All Supported Azure Resources | Compliant resources have at least one approved private endpoint connection | 30 | 1.1.0 |
Security Center
| Name | Description | Policies | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Preview]: Deploy Microsoft Defender for Endpoint agent | Deploy Microsoft Defender for Endpoint agent on applicable images. | 4 | 1.0.0-preview |
| Configure Advanced Threat Protection to be enabled on open-source relational databases | Enable Advanced Threat Protection on your non-Basic tier open-source relational databases to detect anomalous activities indicating unusual and potentially harmful attempts to access or exploit databases. See https://aka.ms/AzDforOpenSourceDBsDocu. | 5 | 1.2.0 |
| Configure Azure Defender to be enabled on SQL Servers and SQL Managed Instances | Enable Azure Defender on your SQL Servers and SQL Managed Instances to detect anomalous activities indicating unusual and potentially harmful attempts to access or exploit databases. | 3 | 3.0.0 |
| Configure Microsoft Defender for Cloud plans | Microsoft Defender for Cloud provides comprehensive, cloud-native protections from development to runtime in multi-cloud environments. Use the policy initiative to configure Defender for Cloud plans and extensions to be enabled on selected scope(s). | 11 | 1.0.0 |
| Configure Microsoft Defender for Databases to be enabled | Configure Microsoft Defender for Databases to protect your Azure SQL Databases, Managed Instances, Open-source relational databases and Cosmos DB. | 4 | 1.0.0 |
| Configure multiple Microsoft Defender for Endpoint integration settings with Microsoft Defender for Cloud | Configure the multiple Microsoft Defender for Endpoint integration settings with Microsoft Defender for Cloud (WDATP, WDATP_EXCLUDE_LINUX_PUBLIC_PREVIEW, WDATP_UNIFIED_SOLUTION etc.). See: https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/defender-for-cloud/integration-defender-for-endpoint for more information. | 3 | 1.0.0 |
| Configure SQL VMs and Arc-enabled SQL Servers to install Microsoft Defender for SQL and AMA with a LA workspace | Microsoft Defender for SQL collects events from the agents and uses them to provide security alerts and tailored hardening tasks (recommendations). Creates a resource group and a Data Collection Rule and Log Analytics workspace in the same region as the machine. | 9 | 1.3.0 |
| Configure SQL VMs and Arc-enabled SQL Servers to install Microsoft Defender for SQL and AMA with a user-defined LA workspace | Microsoft Defender for SQL collects events from the agents and uses them to provide security alerts and tailored hardening tasks (recommendations). Creates a resource group and a Data Collection Rule in the same region as the user-defined Log Analytics workspace. | 8 | 1.2.0 |
| Microsoft cloud security benchmark | The Microsoft cloud security benchmark initiative represents the policies and controls implementing security recommendations defined in Microsoft cloud security benchmark, see https://aka.ms/azsecbm. This also serves as the Microsoft Defender for Cloud default policy initiative. You can directly assign this initiative, or manage its policies and compliance results within Microsoft Defender for Cloud. | 228 | 57.45.0 |
SQL
| Name | Description | Policies | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azure SQL Database should have Microsoft Entra-only authentication | Require Microsoft Entra-only authentication for Azure SQL Database, disabling local authentication methods. This allows access exclusively via Microsoft Entra identities, enhancing security with modern authentication enhancements including MFA, SSO, and secret-less programmatic access with managed identities. | 2 | 1.0.0 |
| Azure SQL Managed Instance should have Microsoft Entra-only authentication | Require Microsoft Entra-only authentication for Azure SQL Managed instance, disabling local authentication methods. This allows access exclusively via Microsoft Entra identities, enhancing security with modern authentication enhancements including MFA, SSO, and secret-less programmatic access with managed identities. | 2 | 1.0.0 |
Synapse
| Name | Description | Policies | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Configure Synapse Workspaces to mandate Microsoft Entra-only identities for authentication | Require and configure Microsoft Entra-only authentication for Synapse Workspaces, disabling local authentication methods. This allows access exclusively via Microsoft Entra identities, enhancing security with modern authentication enhancements including MFA, SSO, and secret-less programmatic access with managed identities. | 2 | 1.0.0 |
| Synapse Workspaces should have Microsoft Entra-only authentication | Require Microsoft Entra-only authentication for Synapse Workspaces, disabling local authentication methods. This allows access exclusively via Microsoft Entra identities, enhancing security with modern authentication enhancements including MFA, SSO, and secret-less programmatic access with managed identities. | 2 | 1.0.0 |
Trusted Launch
| Name | Description | Policies | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Preview]: Configure prerequisites to enable Guest Attestation on Trusted Launch enabled VMs | Configure the Trusted Launch enabled virtual machines to automatically install the Guest Attestation extension and enable system-assigned managed identity to allow Azure Security Center to proactively attest and monitor the boot integrity. Boot integrity is attested via Remote Attestation. For more details, please refer to the following link - https://aka.ms/trustedlaunch | 7 | 3.0.0-preview |
VirtualEnclaves
| Name | Description | Policies | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Preview]: Control the use of AKS in a Virtual Enclave | This initiative deploys Azure policies for AKS ensuring boundary protection of this resource while it operates within the logically separated structure of Azure Virtual Enclaves. https://aka.ms/VirtualEnclaves | 9 | 1.0.0-preview |
| [Preview]: Control the use of App Service in a Virtual Enclave | This initiative deploys Azure policies for App Service ensuring boundary protection of this resource while it operates within the logically separated structure of Azure Virtual Enclaves. https://aka.ms/VirtualEnclaves | 44 | 1.0.0-preview |
| [Preview]: Control the use of Container Registry in a Virtual Enclave | This initiative deploys Azure policies for Container Registry ensuring boundary protection of this resource while it operates within the logically separated structure of Azure Virtual Enclaves. https://aka.ms/VirtualEnclaves | 8 | 1.0.0-preview |
| [Preview]: Control the use of CosmosDB in a Virtual Enclave | This initiative deploys Azure policies for CosmosDB ensuring boundary protection of this resource while it operates within the logically separated structure of Azure Virtual Enclaves. https://aka.ms/VirtualEnclaves | 8 | 1.0.0-preview |
| [Preview]: Control the use of diagnostic settings for specific resources in a Virtual Enclave | This initiative deploys Azure policies to ensure configuration of specific resource types in Azure Virtual Enclaves. https://aka.ms/VirtualEnclaves | 25 | 1.0.0-preview |
| [Preview]: Control the use of Key Vault in a Virtual Enclave | This initiative deploys Azure policies for Key Vaults ensuring boundary protection of this resource while it operates within the logically separated structure of Azure Virtual Enclaves. https://aka.ms/VirtualEnclaves | 2 | 1.0.0-preview |
| [Preview]: Control the use of Microsoft SQL in a Virtual Enclave | This initiative deploys Azure policies for Microsoft SQL ensuring boundary protection of this resource while it operates within the logically separated structure of Azure Virtual Enclaves. https://aka.ms/VirtualEnclaves | 24 | 1.0.0-preview |
| [Preview]: Control the use of PostgreSql in a Virtual Enclave | This initiative deploys Azure policies for PostgreSql ensuring boundary protection of this resource while it operates within the logically separated structure of Azure Virtual Enclaves. https://aka.ms/VirtualEnclaves | 10 | 1.0.0-preview |
| [Preview]: Control the use of Service Bus in a Virtual Enclave | This initiative deploys Azure policies for Service Bus ensuring boundary protection of this resource while it operates within the logically separated structure of Azure Virtual Enclaves. https://aka.ms/VirtualEnclaves | 7 | 1.0.0-preview |
| [Preview]: Control the use of Storage Accounts in a Virtual Enclave | This initiative deploys Azure policies for Storage Accounts ensuring boundary protection of this resource while it operates within the logically separated structure of Azure Virtual Enclaves. https://aka.ms/VirtualEnclaves | 11 | 1.1.0-preview |
Next steps
- See the built-ins on the Azure Policy GitHub repo.
- Review the Azure Policy definition structure.
- Review Understanding policy effects.