Azure Financial Records Exposure Remediation

Learn how to fix exposure of financial records in Azure environments. Follow step-by-step guidance for PCI-DSS compliance.

Why It Matters

The core goal is to immediately remediate identified exposures of financial records within your Azure environment, ensuring sensitive financial data is properly secured and access controls are correctly implemented. Fixing financial record exposures in Azure is critical for organizations subject to PCI-DSS requirements, as it helps prevent data breaches that could result in significant financial penalties and reputational damage.

Primary Risk: Data exposure of sensitive financial records

Relevant Regulation: PCI-DSS Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard

Swift remediation ensures compliance, protects customer financial data, and maintains trust in your organization's security posture.

Prerequisites

Permissions & Roles

  • Azure Security Administrator or Global Administrator
  • Storage Account Contributor permissions
  • Microsoft Defender for Cloud access

External Tools

  • Azure CLI or PowerShell
  • Cyera DSPM account
  • Azure Resource Manager templates

Prior Setup

  • Azure subscription provisioned
  • Microsoft Defender for Cloud enabled
  • Azure Policy configured
  • Resource governance established

Introducing Cyera

Cyera is a modern Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) platform that discovers, classifies, and continuously monitors your sensitive data across cloud services. Using advanced AI and machine learning algorithms including Named Entity Recognition (NER) and pattern matching, Cyera automatically identifies financial records within Azure storage accounts, databases, and file shares. Its intelligent remediation engine provides actionable guidance to fix exposures while maintaining business continuity.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Assess exposure severity and scope

Review Cyera's exposure assessment to understand the type of financial records exposed, access patterns, and affected resources. Prioritize based on sensitivity and potential business impact.

az storage account list --query "[?publicNetworkAccess=='Enabled']"

2
Implement immediate containment

Disable public access to affected storage accounts and databases. Apply network restrictions and update firewall rules to limit access to authorized networks only.

az storage account update --name myaccount --resource-group mygroup --public-network-access Disabled

3
Configure proper access controls

Implement Azure RBAC policies, configure Shared Access Signatures (SAS) with minimal permissions, and enable Azure Active Directory authentication for database access.

az role assignment create --assignee user@company.com --role "Storage Blob Data Reader" --scope /subscriptions/{subscription-id}/resourceGroups/{resource-group}

4
Enable encryption and monitoring

Ensure data at rest and in transit encryption is enabled. Configure Azure Monitor alerts and Microsoft Defender for Cloud to detect future exposures. Validate remediation with Cyera's continuous monitoring.

az storage account update --name myaccount --resource-group mygroup --encryption-services blob file

Architecture & Workflow

Azure Storage Accounts

Primary location of exposed financial records

Cyera Detection Engine

AI-powered identification and risk assessment

Azure Security Center

Native Azure security monitoring and alerting

Remediation Automation

Automated policy enforcement and access controls

Remediation Flow Summary

Identify Exposure Contain Access Apply Controls Monitor & Validate

Best Practices & Tips

Remediation Prioritization

  • Address publicly accessible resources first
  • Focus on high-volume financial data stores
  • Prioritize production over development environments

Access Control Strategy

  • Implement principle of least privilege
  • Use Azure AD conditional access policies
  • Enable multi-factor authentication for sensitive resources

Common Pitfalls

  • Overlooking legacy storage accounts without RBAC
  • Forgetting to update backup and disaster recovery policies
  • Not validating business application functionality after changes