Check ID:
Provider: Azure
Service:
Severity: MEDIUM
Categories:
Resource type:
defender_auto_provisioning_vulnerabilty_assessments_machines_onProvider: Azure
Service:
defenderSeverity: MEDIUM
Categories:
vulnerabilitiesResource type:
microsoft.security/assessmentssampleWhat this check verifies
Microsoft Defender for Cloud evaluates whether Azure VMs and Arc-enabled machines have a vulnerability assessment solution deployed and reporting healthy coverage across the subscription.Risk
Without continuous vulnerability assessment, unpatched flaws persist, enabling:- Remote code execution and privilege escalation
- Ransomware disrupting availability
- Data exfiltration via lateral movement
Recommendation
Enable subscription-wide auto-provisioning of a vulnerability assessment for all Azure and Arc machines and enforce it with policy for existing and new hosts. Apply least privilege to deployment identities, integrate with patch management, and monitor findings for timely remediation.Remediation
- CLI
- Terraform
- Native IaC
- Dashboard steps
References
- https://www.trendmicro.com/cloudoneconformity/knowledge-base/azure/SecurityCenter/automatic-provisioning-vulnerability-assessment-machines.html
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/defender-for-cloud/deploy-vulnerability-assessment-defender-vulnerability-management
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/defender-for-cloud/monitoring-components?tabs=autoprovision-va
Where this check fires
This check runs on every scheduled scan against your Azure account. Findings appear at Cloud Security → Findings filterable byCheck ID = defender_auto_provisioning_vulnerabilty_assessments_machines_on. To re-evaluate after a fix, hit Run now on the account’s schedule under Cloud Security → Schedules — the next scan re-checks this control and marks the finding fixed or keeps it persistent.
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