This security baseline applies guidance from the Microsoft cloud security benchmark version 1.0 to Backup. The Microsoft cloud security benchmark provides recommendations on how you can secure your cloud solutions on Azure. The content is grouped by the security controls defined by the Microsoft cloud security benchmark and the related guidance applicable to Backup.
You can monitor this security baseline and its recommendations using Microsoft Defender for Cloud. Azure Policy definitions will be listed in the Regulatory Compliance section of the Microsoft Defender for Cloud portal page.
When a feature has relevant Azure Policy Definitions, they are listed in this baseline to help you measure compliance with the Microsoft cloud security benchmark controls and recommendations. Some recommendations may require a paid Microsoft Defender plan to enable certain security scenarios.
Note
Features not applicable to Backup have been excluded. To see how Backup completely maps to the Microsoft cloud security benchmark, see the full Backup security baseline mapping file.
Security profile
The security profile summarizes high-impact behaviors of Backup, which may result in increased security considerations.
Service Behavior Attribute
Value
Product Category
MGMT/Governance
Customer can access HOST / OS
No Access
Service can be deployed into customer's virtual network
Description: Service native IP filtering capability for filtering network traffic (not to be confused with NSG or Azure Firewall). Learn more.
Supported
Enabled By Default
Configuration Responsibility
True
False
Customer
Configuration Guidance: Deploy private endpoints for all Azure resources that support the Private Link feature, to establish a private access point for the resources.
Description: Service supports disabling public network access either through using service-level IP ACL filtering rule (not NSG or Azure Firewall) or using a 'Disable Public Network Access' toggle switch. Learn more.
Supported
Enabled By Default
Configuration Responsibility
True
False
Customer
Configuration Guidance: Disable public network access either using the service-level IP ACL filtering rule or a toggling switch for public network access.
Configuration Guidance: This feature is not supported to secure this service.
IM-8: Restrict the exposure of credential and secrets
Features
Service Credential and Secrets Support Integration and Storage in Azure Key Vault
Description: Data plane supports native use of Azure Key Vault for credential and secrets store. Learn more.
Supported
Enabled By Default
Configuration Responsibility
True
False
Customer
Feature notes: This feature is supported for all scenarios, except an on-premises scenario where the vault credential file is not stored in the AKV.
Configuration Guidance: Ensure that secrets and credentials are stored in secure locations such as Azure Key Vault, instead of embedding them into code or configuration files.
DP-2: Monitor anomalies and threats targeting sensitive data
Features
Data Leakage/Loss Prevention
Description: Service supports DLP solution to monitor sensitive data movement (in customer's content). Learn more.
Supported
Enabled By Default
Configuration Responsibility
True
False
Customer
Feature notes: Azure Backup supports advanced features like immutable vaults, soft delete, multi-user authorization that can help in protecting customers’ backup data which is typically sensitive in nature.
Configuration Guidance: There is no current Microsoft guidance for this feature configuration. Please review and determine if your organization wants to configure this security feature.
DP-3: Encrypt sensitive data in transit
Features
Data in Transit Encryption
Description: Service supports data in-transit encryption for data plane. Learn more.
Supported
Enabled By Default
Configuration Responsibility
True
True
Microsoft
Configuration Guidance: No additional configurations are required as this is enabled on a default deployment.
Description: Data at-rest encryption using platform keys is supported, any customer content at rest is encrypted with these Microsoft managed keys. Learn more.
Supported
Enabled By Default
Configuration Responsibility
True
True
Microsoft
Configuration Guidance: No additional configurations are required as this is enabled on a default deployment.
DP-5: Use customer-managed key option in data at rest encryption when required
Features
Data at Rest Encryption Using CMK
Description: Data at-rest encryption using customer-managed keys is supported for customer content stored by the service. Learn more.
Supported
Enabled By Default
Configuration Responsibility
True
False
Customer
Configuration Guidance: If required for regulatory compliance, define the use case and service scope where encryption using customer-managed keys are needed. Enable and implement data at rest encryption using customer-managed key for those services.
Description: The service supports Azure Key Vault integration for any customer keys, secrets, or certificates. Learn more.
Supported
Enabled By Default
Configuration Responsibility
True
False
Customer
Configuration Guidance: Use Azure Key Vault to create and control the life cycle of your encryption keys, including key generation, distribution, and storage. Rotate and revoke your keys in Azure Key Vault and your service based on a defined schedule or when there is a key retirement or compromise. When there is a need to use customer-managed key (CMK) in the workload, service, or application level, ensure you follow the best practices for key management: Use a key hierarchy to generate a separate data encryption key (DEK) with your key encryption key (KEK) in your key vault. Ensure keys are registered with Azure Key Vault and referenced via key IDs from the service or application. If you need to bring your own key (BYOK) to the service (such as importing HSM-protected keys from your on-premises HSMs into Azure Key Vault), follow recommended guidelines to perform initial key generation and key transfer.
Description: The service supports Azure Key Vault integration for any customer certificates. Learn more.
Supported
Enabled By Default
Configuration Responsibility
True
False
Customer
Configuration Guidance: Use Azure Key Vault to create and control the certificate lifecycle, including creation, importing, rotation, revocation, storage, and purging of the certificate. Ensure the certificate generation follows defined standards without using any insecure properties, such as: insufficient key size, overly long validity period, insecure cryptography. Setup automatic rotation of the certificate in Azure Key Vault and the Azure service (if supported) based on a defined schedule or when there is a certificate expiration. If automatic rotation is not supported in the application, ensure they are still rotated using manual methods in Azure Key Vault and the application.
Description: Service has an offering-specific Microsoft Defender solution to monitor and alert on security issues. Learn more.
Supported
Enabled By Default
Configuration Responsibility
False
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Configuration Guidance: This feature is not supported to secure this service.
LT-4: Enable logging for security investigation
Features
Azure Resource Logs
Description: Service produces resource logs that can provide enhanced service-specific metrics and logging. The customer can configure these resource logs and send them to their own data sink like a storage account or log analytics workspace. Learn more.
Supported
Enabled By Default
Configuration Responsibility
True
False
Customer
Configuration Guidance: Enable resource logs for the service. For example, Key Vault supports additional resource logs for actions that get a secret from a key vault or and Azure SQL has resource logs that track requests to a database. The content of resource logs varies by the Azure service and resource type.
Ensure protection of your Azure Virtual Machines by enabling Azure Backup. Azure Backup is a secure and cost effective data protection solution for Azure.
Learn about Azure Backup before learning to implement Recovery Vaults and Azure Backup Policies. Learn to implement Windows IaaS VM recovery, perform backup and restore of on-premises workloads, and manage Azure VM backups.