Azure security baseline for Cognitive Services

This security baseline applies guidance from the Microsoft cloud security benchmark version 1.0 to Cognitive Services. 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 Cognitive Services.

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 Cognitive Services have been excluded. To see how Cognitive Services completely maps to the Microsoft cloud security benchmark, see the full Cognitive Services security baseline mapping file.

Security profile

The security profile summarizes high-impact behaviors of Cognitive Services, which may result in increased security considerations.

Service Behavior Attribute	Value
Product Category	AI+ML
Customer can access HOST / OS	No Access
Service can be deployed into customer's virtual network	False
Stores customer content at rest	True

Network security

For more information, see the Microsoft cloud security benchmark: Network security.

NS-1: Establish network segmentation boundaries

Features

Virtual Network Integration

Description: Service supports deployment into customer's private Virtual Network (VNet). Learn more.

Supported	Enabled By Default	Configuration Responsibility
False	Not Applicable	Not Applicable

Configuration Guidance: This feature is not supported to secure this service.

Network Security Group Support

Description: Service network traffic respects Network Security Groups rule assignment on its subnets. Learn more.

Supported	Enabled By Default	Configuration Responsibility
False	Not Applicable	Not Applicable

Feature notes: Though Network Security Groups for this service is not supported, a service-level firewall may be configured. For more information, please visit: Managing IP network rules

Configuration Guidance: This feature is not supported to secure this service.

NS-2: Secure cloud services with network controls

Features

Azure Private Link

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.

Reference: Use private endpoints

Disable Public Network Access

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.

Reference: Change the default network access rule

Microsoft Defender for Cloud monitoring

Azure Policy built-in definitions - Microsoft.CognitiveServices:

Name (Azure portal)	Description	Effect(s)	Version (GitHub)
Azure AI Services resources should restrict network access	By restricting network access, you can ensure that only allowed networks can access the service. This can be achieved by configuring network rules so that only applications from allowed networks can access the Azure AI service.	Audit, Deny, Disabled	3.2.0

Identity management

For more information, see the Microsoft cloud security benchmark: Identity management.

IM-1: Use centralized identity and authentication system

Features

Azure AD Authentication Required for Data Plane Access

Description: Service supports using Azure AD authentication for data plane access. Learn more.

Supported	Enabled By Default	Configuration Responsibility
True	False	Customer

Configuration Guidance: Use Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) as the default authentication method to control your data plane access.

Reference: Authenticate with Azure Active Directory

Local Authentication Methods for Data Plane Access

Description: Local authentications methods supported for data plane access, such as a local username and password. Learn more.

Supported	Enabled By Default	Configuration Responsibility
True	False	Customer

Feature notes: While you can authenticate against Azure Cognitive Services using a single-service or multi-service subscription key, or use those keys to authenticate with access tokens, these authentication methods fall short in more complex scenarios that require Azure role-based access control (Azure RBAC). Avoid the usage of local authentication methods or accounts, these should be disabled wherever possible. Instead use Azure AD to authenticate where possible.

Configuration Guidance: Restrict the use of local authentication methods for data plane access. Instead, use Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) as the default authentication method to control your data plane access.

Reference: Authenticate with an access token

Microsoft Defender for Cloud monitoring

Azure Policy built-in definitions - Microsoft.CognitiveServices:

Name (Azure portal)	Description	Effect(s)	Version (GitHub)
Azure AI Services resources should have key access disabled (disable local authentication)	Key access (local authentication) is recommended to be disabled for security. Azure OpenAI Studio, typically used in development/testing, requires key access and will not function if key access is disabled. After disabling, Microsoft Entra ID becomes the only access method, which allows maintaining minimum privilege principle and granular control. Learn more at: https://aka.ms/AI/auth	Audit, Deny, Disabled	1.1.0

IM-3: Manage application identities securely and automatically

Features

Managed Identities

Description: Data plane actions support authentication using managed identities. Learn more.

Supported	Enabled By Default	Configuration Responsibility
True	False	Customer

Configuration Guidance: Use Azure managed identities instead of service principals when possible, which can authenticate to Azure services and resources that support Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) authentication. Managed identity credentials are fully managed, rotated, and protected by the platform, avoiding hard-coded credentials in source code or configuration files.

Reference: Authorize access to managed identities

Service Principals

Description: Data plane supports authentication using service principals. Learn more.

Supported	Enabled By Default	Configuration Responsibility
True	False	Customer

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.

Reference: Authenticate requests to Azure Cognitive Services

IM-7: Restrict resource access based on conditions

Features

Conditional Access for Data Plane

Description: Data plane access can be controlled using Azure AD Conditional Access Policies. Learn more.

Supported	Enabled By Default	Configuration Responsibility
True	False	Customer

Configuration Guidance: Define the applicable conditions and criteria for Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) conditional access in the workload. Consider common use cases such as blocking or granting access from specific locations, blocking risky sign-in behavior, or requiring organization-managed devices for specific applications.

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

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.

Reference: Develop Azure Cognitive Services applications with Key Vault

Privileged access

For more information, see the Microsoft cloud security benchmark: Privileged access.

PA-1: Separate and limit highly privileged/administrative users

Features

Local Admin Accounts

Description: Service has the concept of a local administrative account. Learn more.

Supported	Enabled By Default	Configuration Responsibility
False	Not Applicable	Not Applicable

Configuration Guidance: This feature is not supported to secure this service.

PA-7: Follow just enough administration (least privilege) principle

Features

Azure RBAC for Data Plane

Description: Azure Role-Based Access Control (Azure RBAC) can be used to managed access to service's data plane actions. Learn more.

Supported	Enabled By Default	Configuration Responsibility
True	False	Customer

Configuration Guidance: Use Azure role-based access control (Azure RBAC) to manage Azure resource access through built-in role assignments. Azure RBAC roles can be assigned to users, groups, service principals, and managed identities.

Reference: Authenticate with Azure Active Directory

PA-8: Determine access process for cloud provider support

Features

Customer Lockbox

Description: Customer Lockbox can be used for Microsoft support access. Learn more.

Supported	Enabled By Default	Configuration Responsibility
True	False	Customer

Configuration Guidance: In support scenarios where Microsoft needs to access your data, use Customer Lockbox to review, then approve or reject each of Microsoft's data access requests.

Data protection

For more information, see the Microsoft cloud security benchmark: Data protection.

DP-1: Discover, classify, and label sensitive data

Features

Sensitive Data Discovery and Classification

Description: Tools (such as Azure Purview or Azure Information Protection) can be used for data discovery and classification in the service. Learn more.

Supported	Enabled By Default	Configuration Responsibility
False	Not Applicable	Not Applicable

Configuration Guidance: This feature is not supported to secure this service.

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

Configuration Guidance: Cognitive Services data loss prevention capabilities allow customers to configure the list of outbound URLs their Cognitive Services resources are allowed to access. This creates another level of control for customers to prevent data loss.

Reference: Configure data loss prevention for Azure Cognitive Services

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.

Reference: Azure Cognitive Services security

DP-4: Enable data at rest encryption by default

Features

Data at Rest Encryption Using Platform Keys

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.

Reference: Configure customer-managed keys with Azure Key Vault for Cognitive Services

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.

Reference: Configure customer-managed keys with Azure Key Vault for Cognitive Services

Microsoft Defender for Cloud monitoring

Azure Policy built-in definitions - Microsoft.CognitiveServices:

Name (Azure portal)	Description	Effect(s)	Version (GitHub)
Cognitive Services accounts should enable data encryption with a customer-managed key	Customer-managed keys are commonly required to meet regulatory compliance standards. Customer-managed keys enable the data stored in Cognitive Services to be encrypted with an Azure Key Vault key created and owned by you. You have full control and responsibility for the key lifecycle, including rotation and management. Learn more about customer-managed keys at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2121321.	Audit, Deny, Disabled	2.1.0

DP-6: Use a secure key management process

Features

Key Management in Azure Key Vault

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.

Reference: Configure customer-managed keys with Azure Key Vault for Cognitive Services

DP-7: Use a secure certificate management process

Features

Certificate Management in Azure Key Vault

Description: The service supports Azure Key Vault integration for any customer certificates. Learn more.

Supported	Enabled By Default	Configuration Responsibility
False	Not Applicable	Not Applicable

Configuration Guidance: This feature is not supported to secure this service.

Asset management

For more information, see the Microsoft cloud security benchmark: Asset management.

AM-2: Use only approved services

Features

Azure Policy Support

Description: Service configurations can be monitored and enforced via Azure Policy. Learn more.

Supported	Enabled By Default	Configuration Responsibility
True	False	Customer

Configuration Guidance: Use Microsoft Defender for Cloud to configure Azure Policy to audit and enforce configurations of your Azure resources. Use Azure Monitor to create alerts when there is a configuration deviation detected on the resources. Use Azure Policy [deny] and [deploy if not exists] effects to enforce secure configuration across Azure resources.

Reference: Azure Policy built-in policy definitions for Azure Cognitive Services

Logging and threat detection

For more information, see the Microsoft cloud security benchmark: Logging and threat detection.

LT-1: Enable threat detection capabilities

Features

Microsoft Defender for Service / Product Offering

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.

Reference: Enable diagnostic logging for Azure Cognitive Services

Backup and recovery

For more information, see the Microsoft cloud security benchmark: Backup and recovery.

BR-1: Ensure regular automated backups

Features

Azure Backup

Description: The service can be backed up by the Azure Backup service. Learn more.

Supported	Enabled By Default	Configuration Responsibility
False	Not Applicable	Not Applicable

Configuration Guidance: This feature is not supported to secure this service.

Service Native Backup Capability

Description: Service supports its own native backup capability (if not using Azure Backup). Learn more.

Supported	Enabled By Default	Configuration Responsibility
False	Not Applicable	Not Applicable

Configuration Guidance: This feature is not supported to secure this service.

Next steps

• See the Microsoft cloud security benchmark overview
• Learn more about Azure security baselines