Integrating Microsoft Defender XDR into your security operations

Applies to:

• Microsoft Defender XDR

A modern Security Operations Center (SOC) is an intelligence-driven, adaptive organization that embraces threat defense strategy of moving security processes earlier in the deployment process so that security is built in. This means that the traditional assignment of isolated technologies and processes to single security analysts no longer supports the vast increase in data coming in from multiple sources. Security analysts and engineers are being asked to take a more holistic approach and to use shared insights across different platforms and disciplines to take effective action.

For this reason, the deployment and implementation of the Microsoft Defender XDR platform will need careful planning with the SOC team to optimize the day-to-day operations and lifecycle management of the Microsoft Defender XDR service itself. This content explores several concepts on how to operationalize and integrate Microsoft Defender XDR with either new or existing people, processes, and technologies that form the basis for modern security operations.

If you are not already familiar with Microsoft Defender XDR, see these articles:

• Get started with Microsoft Defender XDR
• Turn on Microsoft Defender XDR

If your organization has already implemented some aspects of Microsoft Defender XDR, these articles can either affirm or help improve your existing architecture and processes.

Note

As a Microsoft partner, Protiviti contributed to and provided material feedback to this article.

Target audience

This content is designed for the following:

• DevOps and Security Operations (SecOps) teams
• Security engineering teams
• IT teams
• CISOs and CTOs
• Red, Blue, and Purple Teams
• CSIRT & forensic teams
• Microsoft 365 administrators

Next steps

Use these steps to integrate Microsoft Defender XDR into your SOC.

• Step 1. Plan for Microsoft Defender XDR operations readiness
• Step 2. Perform a SOC integration readiness assessment using the Zero Trust Framework
• Step 3. Plan for Microsoft Defender XDR integration with your SOC catalog of services
• Step 4. Define Microsoft Defender XDR roles, responsibilities, and oversight
• Step 5. Develop and test use cases
• Step 6. Identify SOC maintenance tasks

Tip

Do you want to learn more? Engage with the Microsoft Security community in our Tech Community: Microsoft Defender XDR Tech Community.