AZ-500 Microsoft Azure Security Technologies Exam

Customize and Validate Kusto Query–Based Analytics Rules

Microsoft Sentinel uses Kusto Query–based analytics rules to spot unusual activity and generate alerts. These analytics rules run queries across your data to detect, investigate, and respond to threats. By customizing built-in templates or creating rules from scratch, you ensure alerts match your organization’s risk profile. Properly tuned rules reduce noise and focus on the most critical security events.

To create a new analytics rule, start in the Microsoft Sentinel portal under Analytics > Rule templates. Select a template and click Create rule to open the configuration wizard. Key steps include:

• Choosing the right data sources that feed into the rule
• Defining a meaningful rule name and description
• Setting the rule schedule to control how often it runs

Once the basic settings are in place, you can fine-tune the Kusto Query Language (KQL) logic. Modify the query text to filter on specific fields, add operators, or join tables. Adjust the schedule frequency so the rule runs at appropriate intervals. Use severity levels to assign priority and apply suppression scopes to avoid repeated alerts from the same source.

Testing and validation are essential to ensure your rule fires only on genuine threats. Use the Results simulation feature to run the query against existing logs and preview potential alerts. Analyze diagnostic metrics like event counts and execution time to spot slow or overly broad queries. This process helps you reduce false positives and improve rule accuracy before turning it on in production.

After validation, configure how alerts become incidents. Decide if each alert should create a separate incident or if related alerts should group together. You can then attach automated responses, such as Logic Apps playbooks, to handle incidents immediately. Microsoft Sentinel also offers advanced features, including:

• Near-Real-Time (NRT) rules for faster detection
• Machine learning–based anomaly detection
• Integration with threat intelligence and external security tools

Conclusion

Enabling analytics rules in Microsoft Sentinel starts with selecting or authoring Kusto Query–based rules and configuring essential settings like schedule, severity, and suppression. You then validate detection efficacy through simulation and metrics analysis to minimize false positives. Finally, you manage alert-to-incident workflows and leverage advanced features for faster, smarter threat detection and response.