Build a Minimum Viable SOC on Azure: Sentinel + Defender Automations

Cut noise, enrich fast, and respond with confidence.

Define ‘Minimum Viable’

Aim for high-fidelity detections, automated enrichment, and clear runbooks for the top 10 incident types. You don’t need every connector on day one.

Ingest & Normalize

Connect Defender for Endpoint/Identity/Office 365, Azure activity logs, and critical SaaS via D4CA. Use analytic rules for credential theft, impossible travel, and unusual app consent.

Automate Intelligently

Playbooks enrich with user risk, device exposure score, GeoIP, and last logon. Route priorities to the right queues. Auto-close known-good patterns; escalate the rest with context.

Operate Like a Team

Define roles for triage, containment, and comms. Weekly tuning to reduce false positives. Monthly tabletop to review metrics and update playbooks.

How Azure Crew Can Help

Azure Crew offers a Sentinel quick-start: detections, playbooks, a tiered triage model, and Kaseya ticket integration so nothing falls through the cracks.