Protecting Your Organization Against Identity-Based Attacks

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, protecting your organization’s identities has become more critical than ever. Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting identity-based vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data and systems. This is where Microsoft Defender for Identity comes in – a powerful tool designed to safeguard your Active Directory environment against these identity-based attacks.

The Importance of Defender for Identity Sensors

Microsoft Defender for Identity is a cloud-based security solution that leverages your on-premises Active Directory signals to identify, detect, and investigate advanced threats, compromised identities, and malicious insider actions. To maximize the effectiveness of this solution, it is essential to install Defender for Identity sensors on your Active Directory, Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS), and Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) servers.

These sensors play a crucial role in protecting your organization by:

  1. Detecting Identity-Based Attacks: Defender for Identity sensors monitor your Active Directory environment and use advanced analytics to detect suspicious activities, such as credential theft, lateral movement, and privilege escalation attempts. This allows you to respond quickly and mitigate the impact of these attacks.

  2. Providing Visibility and Insights: The sensors collect and analyze data from your Active Directory infrastructure, giving you unprecedented visibility into user behavior, identity-related risks, and potential security breaches. This information is invaluable for making informed security decisions and strengthening your overall security posture.

  3. Integrating with Microsoft Defender XDR: Defender for Identity seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Defender XDR (Extended Detection and Response), providing a comprehensive security solution that combines identity protection, threat detection, and response capabilities. This integration enables you to centralize your security management and streamline your security operations.

Preparing for Defender for Identity Sensor Installation

Before you can install the Defender for Identity sensors, there are a few prerequisites you need to address:

  1. Licensing: Ensure that your organization has one of the eligible licenses for Microsoft Defender for Identity, such as Microsoft 365 E5, Microsoft 365 E5 Security, or Azure Active Directory Premium P2.

  2. Permissions: To create a Defender for Identity workspace, you’ll need a Microsoft Entra ID tenant with at least one Security administrator. This role grants the necessary permissions to access the Identity section of the Microsoft Defender XDR settings and create the workspace.

  3. System Requirements: The Defender for Identity sensors have specific system requirements, including a minimum of 2 cores, 6 GB of RAM, and 6 GB of disk space on your domain controllers. Additionally, the servers must be able to reach the Defender for Identity cloud service, which you can verify by accessing https://*your-workspace-name*sensorapi.atp.azure.com.

  4. Maintenance Window: During the installation process, the .NET Framework 4.7 or later may be installed, which could require a reboot of the server. It’s a good idea to schedule a maintenance window for your domain controllers to minimize any potential disruptions.

Installing the Defender for Identity Sensors

  1. Download the Defender for Identity sensor from the Microsoft Defender portal. Navigate to Settings -> Identities -> Sensors -> Add sensor and copy the Access key value, which you’ll need for the installation.

  2. From the domain controller, run the installer you downloaded from the Microsoft Defender XDR portal and follow the on-screen instructions.

For more detailed instructions, including steps for deploying Defender for Identity sensors on multiple domain controllers, please refer to the Deploy Microsoft Defender for Identity with Microsoft Defender XDR documentation.

By installing Defender for Identity sensors on your Active Directory, AD FS, and AD CS servers, you’ll be taking a critical step in safeguarding your organization against identity-based threats and strengthening your overall security posture. With the powerful capabilities of Defender for Identity and its integration with Microsoft Defender XDR, you’ll be better equipped to detect, investigate, and respond to advanced security incidents, ensuring the ongoing protection of your most valuable assets – your identities.