Azure Configuration Files Detection
Learn how to detect configuration files in Azure environments. Follow step-by-step guidance for NIST 800-53 compliance.
Why It Matters
The core goal is to identify every location where configuration files are stored within your Azure environment, so you can remediate misconfigurations and hardcoded secrets before they become security incidents. Scanning for configuration files in Azure is a priority for organizations subject to NIST 800-53, as it helps you prove you've discovered and secured all configuration assets—mitigating the risk of misconfiguration and unauthorized access through exposed credentials.
A thorough scan delivers immediate visibility into configuration drift and security misconfigurations, laying the foundation for automated policy enforcement and ongoing compliance.
Prerequisites
Permissions & Roles
- Azure Global Administrator or Security Administrator
- Resource Reader permissions across subscriptions
- Key Vault access policies configured
External Tools
- Azure CLI or PowerShell
- Cyera DSPM account
- API credentials
Prior Setup
- Azure subscriptions configured
- Azure Active Directory integrated
- Resource groups organized
- Network security rules reviewed
Introducing Cyera
Cyera is a modern Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) platform that discovers, classifies, and continuously monitors your sensitive data across cloud services. By leveraging advanced AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques, Cyera automatically identifies configuration files containing hardcoded secrets, API keys, and sensitive parameters in Azure environments, ensuring you stay ahead of misconfigurations and meet NIST 800-53 audit requirements in real time.
Step-by-Step Guide
Ensure proper service principal is created with the minimum required permissions across your Azure subscriptions and configure access to storage accounts, App Services, and Key Vaults.
In the Cyera portal, navigate to Integrations → DSPM → Add new. Select Azure, provide your tenant ID and service principal credentials, then define the scan scope to include storage accounts, App Services, and configuration repositories.
Configure webhooks to push scan results into Azure Security Center and Microsoft Sentinel. Link findings to existing Azure Monitor alerts and integrate with Azure Policy for automated remediation.
Review the initial detection report, prioritize configuration files with hardcoded secrets or overly permissive settings, and adjust detection rules to reduce false positives. Schedule recurring scans to maintain configuration security posture.
Architecture & Workflow
Azure Resource Manager
Source of metadata for resources and configurations
Cyera Connector
Pulls configuration data and scans for sensitive content
Cyera AI Engine
Applies NLP models and pattern recognition for secrets detection
Security Dashboard
Alerts, compliance reports, and remediation workflows
Data Flow Summary
Best Practices & Tips
Performance Considerations
- Start with critical resource groups first
- Use incremental scans for large environments
- Schedule scans during off-peak hours
Tuning Detection Rules
- Maintain allowlists for legitimate configuration patterns
- Adjust sensitivity for different file types
- Configure custom regex patterns for organization-specific secrets
Common Pitfalls
- Missing ARM template parameters with default values
- Overlooking App Service configuration settings
- Forgetting to scan Azure DevOps repository configurations