Azure Defender covers various aspects of cloud security, including virtual machines, databases, containers, and more. Here are key features and components of Azure Defender:

1. Multi-Layered Protection:

   • Azure Defender employs a multi-layered security approach to detect and mitigate threats across different Azure services, including Azure Virtual Machines, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Azure SQL Database, and more.

2. Threat Detection:

   • Azure Defender continuously monitors Azure resources and analyzes telemetry data to detect suspicious activities and potential security threats.
   • It uses advanced analytics and machine learning to identify indicators of compromise (IoCs) and anomalies that may indicate security breaches.

3. Vulnerability Assessment:

   • Azure Defender performs regular vulnerability assessments on Azure virtual machines, databases, and container registries to identify and report potential security weaknesses.
   • It provides recommendations for remediation to enhance the security posture of your resources.

4. Integrated Security Center:

   • Azure Defender is integrated with the Azure Security Center, providing a unified dashboard for security management and monitoring.
   • The Security Center offers security policies, compliance management, and recommendations to help organizations improve their security posture.

5. Advanced Threat Protection:

   • Azure Defender offers various advanced threat protection services, such as Azure Defender for Servers (formerly known as Azure Security Center Standard), which provides threat detection and prevention for virtual machines and hybrid environments.

6. Cloud-Native Protection:

   • Azure Defender is designed to protect cloud-native services, making it well-suited for securing workloads running in Azure.
   • It supports serverless and containerized applications, offering protection for Azure Functions, Azure Logic Apps, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), and more.

7. Container Security:

   • Azure Defender for Containers provides security monitoring and threat detection for containerized applications, making it ideal for organizations using Kubernetes or Docker in Azure.

8. Custom Alerting and Automation:

   • Azure Defender allows you to set up custom alerting rules and automated responses to security events.
   • You can use Azure Logic Apps or Azure Functions for automated incident response and mitigation.

9. Compliance and Reporting:

   • Azure Defender helps organizations meet compliance requirements by providing built-in compliance assessments and reports.
   • It supports industry standards such as CIS (Center for Internet Security) and provides compliance insights for resources.

10. Integration with SIEM Solutions:

    • Azure Defender integrates with third-party Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solutions to enable centralized monitoring and analysis of security data.