Microsoft Azure Security Technologies (AZ-500) Practice Exam

Microsoft Azure Security Technologies (AZ-500) Practice Exam

AZ-500: Microsoft Azure Security Technologies is designed for Azure security engineers responsible for implementing, managing, and monitoring security across Azure, multi-cloud, and hybrid environments. Candidates will use tools such as Microsoft Defender for Cloud to configure and manage security components, ensuring infrastructure adheres to standards and best practices like the Microsoft Cloud Security Benchmark (MCSB).

Azure security engineers work closely with architects, administrators, and developers to design and implement solutions that meet security and compliance requirements. They may also collaborate with security operations teams to respond to security incidents in Azure.

Who Should Take This Exam?

The AZ-500 certification is ideal for IT professionals with experience in cloud security and a focus on Microsoft Azure, including:

• Cloud Security Architects: Designing and implementing secure cloud architectures leveraging Azure security services.
• Security Engineers: Securing and managing Azure resources, identities, and data using Microsoft security tools.
• Cloud Administrators: Enhancing their understanding of Azure security best practices for infrastructure and application protection.
• Anyone seeking to: Demonstrate their proficiency in securing cloud environments using Microsoft Azure security technologies.

Are There Prerequisites?

While there are no formal prerequisites, Microsoft recommends that candidates possess:

• Prior experience with implementing security controls and solutions.
• A foundational understanding of security concepts and principles (identity and access management, network security, data encryption).
• Working knowledge of Azure services, including Azure Active Directory, Azure Security Center, and Azure Monitor.

Further, to succeed in AZ-500, candidates should have:

• Practical experience administering Microsoft Azure and hybrid environments.
• Strong familiarity with Microsoft Entra ID and core Azure services including compute, network, and storage.

Roles and Responsibilities of an AZ-500 Certified Professional

As an Azure security engineer, you are responsible for:

• Managing the security posture of Azure resources.
• Implementing threat protection across environments.
• Identifying and remediating vulnerabilities proactively.
• Implementing regulatory compliance controls for Azure infrastructure, including:
  • Identity and access management
  • Network, compute, and storage security
  • Data protection and application security
  • Asset management, backup, and recovery
  • DevOps security

Exam Details

• Exam Format: Multiple-choice questions (number of questions not specified by Microsoft)
• Delivery Method: Proctored online exam or testing center.
• Duration: 100 minutes

Course Outline 

The exam covers the following topics:

1. Securing identity and access (15–20%)

Managing security controls for identity and access

• Managing Azure built-in role assignments

• Manage custom roles, including Azure roles and Microsoft Entra roles

• Implementing and managing Microsoft Entra Permissions Management

• Plan and manage Azure resources in Microsoft Entra Privileged Identity Management, including settings and assignments

• Implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) for access to Azure resources

• Implement Conditional Access policies for cloud resources in Azure

Managing Microsoft Entra application access

• Manage access to enterprise applications in Microsoft Entra ID, including OAuth permission grants

• Managing Microsoft Entra app registrations

• Configure app registration permission scopes

• Managing app registration permission consent

• Manage and use service principals

• Manage managed identities

2. Securing networking (20–25%)

Planning and implementing security for virtual networks

• Plan and implement Network Security Groups (NSGs) and Application Security Groups (ASGs)

• Managing virtual networks by using Azure Virtual Network Manager

• Plan and implement user-defined routes (UDRs)

• Plan and implement Virtual Network peering or VPN gateway

• Plan and implement Virtual WAN, including secured virtual hub

• Secure VPN connectivity, including point-to-site and site-to-site

• Implementing encryption over ExpressRoute

• Configure firewall settings on Azure resources

• Monitor network security by using Network Watcher

Plan and implement security for private access to Azure resources

• Plan and implement virtual network Service Endpoints

• Plan and implement Private Endpoints

• Plan and implement Private Link services

• Plan and implement network integration for Azure App Service and Azure Functions

• Plan and implement network security configurations for an App Service Environment (ASE)

• Plan and implement network security configurations for an Azure SQL Managed Instance

Plan and implement security for public access to Azure resources

• Plan and implement Transport Layer Security (TLS) to applications, including Azure App Service and API Management

• Plan, implement, and manage an Azure Firewall, including Azure Firewall Manager and firewall policies

• Plan and implement an Azure Application Gateway

• Plan and implement an Azure Front Door, including Content Delivery Network (CDN)

• Plan and implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF)

• Recommend when to use Azure DDoS Protection Standard

3. Securing compute, storage, and databases (20–25%)

Plan and implement advanced security for compute

• Plan and implement remote access to virtual machines, including Azure Bastion and just-in-time (JIT)

• Configure network isolation for Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)

• Secure and monitor AKS

• Configure authentication for AKS

• Configure security monitoring for Azure Container Instances (ACIs)

• Configure security monitoring for Azure Container Apps (ACAs)

• Manage access to Azure Container Registry (ACR)

• Configure disk encryption, including Azure Disk Encryption (ADE), encryption at host, and confidential disk encryption

• Recommend security configurations for Azure API Management

Plan and implement security for storage

• Configure access control for storage accounts

• Manage storage account access keys

• Select and configure an appropriate method for access to Azure Files

• Select and configure an appropriate method for access to Azure Blob Storage

• Select and configure appropriate methods for protecting against data security threats, including soft delete, backups, versioning, and immutable storage

• Configure Bring your own key (BYOK)

• Enable double encryption at the Azure Storage infrastructure level

Plan and implement security for Azure SQL Database and Azure SQL Managed Instance

• Enable Microsoft Entra database authentication

• Enable database auditing

• Plan and implement dynamic masking

• Implement Transparent Data Encryption (TDE)

• Recommend when to use Azure SQL Database Always Encrypted

4. Securing Azure using Microsoft Defender for Cloud and Microsoft Sentinel (30–35%)

Implement and manage enforcement of cloud governance policies

• Create, assign, and interpret policies and initiatives in Azure Policy

• Configuring Azure Key Vault network settings

• Configuring access to Key Vault, including vault access policies and Azure Role Based Access Control

• Manage certificates, secrets, and keys

• Configure key rotation

• Performing backup and recovery of certificates, secrets, and keys

• Implementing security controls to protect backups

• Implement security controls for asset management

Managing security posture by using Microsoft Defender for Cloud

• Identifying and remediating security risks by using the Microsoft Defender for Cloud Secure Score and Inventory

• Assess compliance against security frameworks by using Microsoft Defender for Cloud

• Managing compliance standards in Microsoft Defender for Cloud

• Add custom standards to Microsoft Defender for Cloud

• Connect hybrid cloud and multi-cloud environments to Microsoft Defender for Cloud, including Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

• Implementing and using Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management (EASM)

Configuring and managing threat protection by using Microsoft Defender for Cloud

• Enabling workload protection services in Microsoft Defender for Cloud

• Configuring Microsoft Defender for Servers, Microsoft Defender for Databases, and Microsoft Defender for Storage

• Implementing and managing agentless scanning for virtual machines in Microsoft Defender for Servers

• Implementing and managing Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management for Azure virtual machines

• Connect to and configure settings in Microsoft Defender for Cloud Devops Security, including GitHub, Azure DevOps, and GitLab

Configure and manage security monitoring and automation solutions

• Managing and responding to security alerts in Microsoft Defender for Cloud

• Configuring workflow automation by using Microsoft Defender for Cloud

• Monitoring network security events and performance data by configuring data collection rules (DCRs) in Azure Monitor

• Configuring data connectors in Microsoft Sentinel

• Enabling analytics rules in Microsoft Sentinel

• Configuring automation in Microsoft Sentinel