The hottest Cloud Computing Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Microsoft Sentinel SOC 101: How to Detect and Mitigate SQL Injection Attacks with Microsoft Sentinel

Rod’s Blog • 119 implied HN points • 27 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Cloud Computing Data Analysis Threat Detection Incident Response
  1. SQL injection attacks exploit vulnerabilities in web applications to access sensitive data.
  2. Microsoft Sentinel uses advanced analytics rules and integrates with Defender for SQL to detect and respond to SQL injection attacks effectively.
  3. Organizations can benefit from automated incident response, threat hunting, and incident investigation capabilities in Microsoft Sentinel to mitigate the impact of SQL injection attacks.

Creating a Security Posture Report for a Specific Azure Subscription

Rod’s Blog • 19 implied HN points • 13 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Cloud Computing Cybersecurity Data Analysis Documentation
  1. Creating a security posture report for a specific Azure subscription provides enhanced visibility into the security state of assets and workloads, aiding in identifying potential vulnerabilities.
  2. The report includes guidance for improvement with hardening recommendations to help efficiently enhance security posture.
  3. Azure Secure Score assists in prioritizing security recommendations for effective triage to enhance security posture and align with compliance standards.
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The Next Wave Of AI Computing

Startup Pirate by Alex Alexakis • 235 implied HN points • 10 Mar 23
🕹 Technology AI Chips Cloud Computing Machine Learning
  1. Artificial intelligence has come a long way since Alan Turing, with AI chips being a key component for advanced computations.
  2. Edge computing moves computing power closer to where data is generated, enabling faster responses for AI applications like self-driving cars.
  3. Axelera AI is focusing on AI chips for edge computing and advancing technology for applications like computer vision in the physical world.

So... what is Stateless Architecture in Software Engineering[System Design Sundays]

Technology Made Simple • 199 implied HN points • 04 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Cloud Computing Architecture
  1. To understand stateless architecture, it's important to know the background of traditional client-server patterns and why moving towards stateless is beneficial.
  2. The concept of state in an application is crucial, and stateless architecture outsources state handling to more efficient systems like using cookies and shared instances for storing state.
  3. Stateless architecture simplifies state management, enhances client-side performance, and makes server scaling easier, aligning well with modern computing capabilities.

Microsoft Sentinel SOC 101: How to Detect and Mitigate Phishing Attacks with Microsoft Sentinel

Rod’s Blog • 99 implied HN points • 19 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Data Analysis Automation Threat Detection Cloud Computing
  1. Phishing attacks are a significant threat that targets human vulnerabilities and can lead to identity theft or financial fraud.
  2. Organizations can mitigate phishing attacks by adopting a 'defense in depth' strategy that includes user education, email filtering, and incident response planning.
  3. Utilizing Microsoft Sentinel, Kusto Query Language (KQL), and integrating with Microsoft 365 Threat Protection can enhance proactive threat hunting and response capabilities against phishing attacks.

How to Monitor the Microsoft Sentinel Trial Period

Rod’s Blog • 59 implied HN points • 07 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Software Microsoft Cloud Computing Data Management
  1. For Microsoft Sentinel customers, a 31-day trial period is available by enabling Microsoft Sentinel on a Log Analytics workspace.
  2. To monitor the trial period, look under the 'News & Guides' blade and access the 'Free Trial' tab to see how many days are left.
  3. In the past, the 31-day trial could be enabled unlimited times on new workspaces, but now it's limited to 20 times per Azure subscription.

Microsoft Sentinel SOC 101: How to Detect and Mitigate Rare Domains Seen in Cloud Logs with Microsoft Sentinel

Rod’s Blog • 59 implied HN points • 06 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Security Cloud Computing Data Analysis Threat intelligence Automation
  1. Rare or malicious domains in cloud logs can be used by attackers for phishing, malware delivery, data exfiltration, and command and control.
  2. Detection and analysis of rare domains in cloud logs can help identify threats like phishing attacks, malware delivery, data exfiltration, and command and control activities.
  3. Microsoft Sentinel offers features like built-in hunting queries, automation rules, and playbooks to help detect, enrich, validate, and respond to rare domains in cloud logs.

Issue #82

Infra Weekly Newsletter • 9 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Security Programming Cloud Computing Operating Systems Infrastructure as Code
  1. Microsoft Azure experienced a major data breach with hundreds of compromised executive accounts, highlighting security concerns despite its reputation.
  2. Nickel, a language by Tweag, aims to create safe and verified configurations, offering a new tool for developers.
  3. While SSDs have greatly improved in speed, cloud vendors like AWS haven't capitalized on this advancement, possibly due to challenges in leveraging high I/O speeds or maximizing revenue.

Microsoft Sentinel SOC 101: How to Detect and Mitigate Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) with Microsoft Sentinel

Rod’s Blog • 59 implied HN points • 12 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Security Cloud Computing Data Analytics Automation Threat Detection
  1. Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) are stealthy and sophisticated cyberattacks that aim to gain unauthorized access and remain undetected for prolonged periods, typically orchestrated by skilled threat actors like nation-state groups or cybercrime syndicates.
  2. Microsoft Sentinel provides a cloud-native Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solution that offers intelligent security analytics, threat intelligence, and the ability to collect and analyze data at scale.
  3. To combat APTs effectively, organizations can utilize Microsoft Sentinel to connect data sources, use workbooks for monitoring, analytics rules for correlating alerts into incidents, playbooks for automating common tasks, and hunting queries for proactively searching for threats.

Microsoft Sentinel SOC 101: How to Detect and Mitigate a DNS Spoofing Attack with Microsoft Sentinel

Rod’s Blog • 59 implied HN points • 11 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Security Cloud Computing Cybersecurity Threat Detection Automation
  1. DNS spoofing, also known as DNS cache poisoning, can lead to serious consequences like compromising credentials and exposing confidential information.
  2. Microsoft Sentinel is a cloud-native SIEM solution that offers benefits like intelligent security analytics, scalability, and cost reduction compared to legacy solutions.
  3. To detect and mitigate DNS spoofing attacks using Microsoft Sentinel, you can leverage features like built-in connectors, workbooks for monitoring data, analytics rules, playbooks for automated workflows, and custom logic creation.

Microsoft Sentinel SOC 101: How to Detect and Mitigate Session Token Stealing Attacks with Microsoft Sentinel

Rod’s Blog • 59 implied HN points • 06 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Data Analytics Cloud Computing Threat Detection Automation
  1. Session token stealing attacks can lead to unauthorized access, data theft, account takeover, and other malicious activities.
  2. To detect session token stealing attacks, Microsoft Sentinel offers a comprehensive solution using advanced analytics, threat intelligence, and automation.
  3. Mitigate session token stealing by using HTTPS encryption, secure cookies, short-lived session tokens, strong passwords, multifactor authentication, and other security measures.

It's TCP vs. RPC All Over Again

Systems Approach • 154 HN points • 20 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Networking Protocols Cloud Computing Internet
  1. Debate continues on the need for a standard protocol for request/response paradigm beyond TCP and UDP.
  2. The Internet has extensively used RPC for distinct purposes like email, network management, and name resolution.
  3. Comparisons between TCP and RPC in datacenters highlight the need for a specialized transport protocol optimized for request/reply workloads.

Microsoft Sentinel SOC 101: How to Detect and Mitigate Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) Attacks with Microsoft Sentinel

Rod’s Blog • 59 implied HN points • 21 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Cloud Computing Threat Detection
  1. XSS attacks can be classified into three main types: Stored XSS, Reflected XSS, and DOM-based XSS, each with unique methods of execution and potential risks.
  2. To effectively detect and mitigate XSS attacks, it's crucial to understand common attack vectors like input fields, URL parameters, cookies, HTTP headers, and third-party scripts.
  3. A combination of Azure Web Application Firewall (WAF) and Microsoft Sentinel offers robust protection against XSS attacks, providing tools for detection, investigation, and response.

Google Cloud's Core Principles of System Design [System Design sundays]

Technology Made Simple • 59 implied HN points • 04 Sep 23
🕹 Technology System Design Cloud Computing Documentation Architecture
  1. A robust system design should be secure, reliable, scalable, and independent, allowing for iterative changes without disruption.
  2. Document everything to help visualize deployments, collaborate effectively, and guide future design decisions.
  3. Simplify system design, use fully managed services, decouple architecture, and strive for a stateless architecture to improve reliability and scalability.

Microsoft Sentinel SOC 101: How to Detect and Mitigate Rare Domains Seen in Cloud Logs

Rod’s Blog • 39 implied HN points • 19 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Security Cloud Computing Threat Detection Automation Orchestration
  1. Rare domains in cloud logs can indicate malicious activities like command and control communication, phishing, or data exfiltration.
  2. Microsoft Sentinel offers a built-in hunting query to identify rare domains and mitigate potential security incidents.
  3. By using automation and orchestration in Microsoft Sentinel, organizations can efficiently respond to and manage incidents related to rare domains in cloud logs.

Microsoft Sentinel SOC 101: How to Detect and Mitigate Fileless Malware Attacks with Microsoft Sentinel

Rod’s Blog • 39 implied HN points • 09 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Cloud Computing AI Threat Detection Malware
  1. Fileless malware attacks are increasing and can be a serious threat to organizations as they evade traditional antivirus solutions by not relying on executable files.
  2. Microsoft Sentinel, a cloud-native security information and event management solution, can help detect and mitigate fileless malware attacks by collecting data at scale, utilizing analytics rules, and automating incident response.
  3. To prevent fileless malware attacks, consider using web filtering to block phishing emails, managed threat hunting for early detection, and indicators of attack (IOAs) analysis to identify malicious activities.

Bing, Google, Sydney and the AI Wars: Breaking Down the Current State of the AI Revolution

The A.I. Analyst by Ben Parr • 98 implied HN points • 23 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Tech Companies AI Ethics Cloud Computing Research Papers
  1. Microsoft's Bing integrating ChatGPT technology can compete with Google in the AI market.
  2. Microsoft's AI chatbot Sydney showcases advanced conversational capabilities and savvy PR strategy.
  3. Google is ramping up its AI efforts, with the announcement of Bard to challenge competitors in the AI wars.

Microsoft Sentinel SOC 101: How to Detect and Mitigate Cryptojacking Attacks with Microsoft Sentinel

Rod’s Blog • 39 implied HN points • 03 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Cloud Computing Data Analytics Threat Detection
  1. Cryptojacking involves using cloud resources to mine cryptocurrencies, leading to increased costs and performance issues for affected cloud customers.
  2. Common indicators of cryptojacking include high CPU/memory usage by unknown processes, unusual network traffic patterns, changes in cloud resource usage, and presence of malicious mining code.
  3. Microsoft Sentinel can help detect and respond to cryptojacking by analyzing data from various sources, applying advanced analytics, providing visualization dashboards, and enabling fast investigation and response using built-in playbooks.

To Build or to Reuse? A CDK Question

Making It Up • 1 HN point • 11 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Infrastructure Code Cloud Computing Development Architecture
  1. CDK offers the flexibility to reuse existing resources or create new ones in your architecture for different environments.
  2. By incorporating conditionals and the ability to import resources via ARN, CDK allows code deployment into both fresh and existing environments from the same codebase.
  3. Using CDK, it's feasible to create custom constructs with logic for reusing or building infrastructure, making it simpler to manage and deploy resources across different states of environments.

Masquerading Digitalization

Amirul’s Substack • 1 HN point • 11 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Digitalization Emerging Tech Cloud Computing Digital Transformation
  1. Transitioning to digital should involve more than just adopting new technologies; it should also focus on reimagining business operations and ways of working.
  2. Simply replacing physical processes with digital ones does not equate to true digital transformation; the focus should be on enhancing user experiences and efficiency.
  3. Mixing emerging technologies with traditional IT culture can hinder digital transformation; organizations need to address organizational silos and adapt their operating models for successful digitalization.

Monitor Azure Open AI Deployments with Microsoft Sentinel

Rod’s Blog • 79 implied HN points • 20 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Cloud Computing Security Data Analysis Automation Software Development
  1. Defender for Cloud Apps can now monitor Azure Open AI activity, making it easier to track and locate activity using Microsoft Sentinel.
  2. Utilize KQL queries to identify Azure Open AI deployments and create a maintained Watchlist in Microsoft Sentinel for easy monitoring.
  3. Automate the updating of the Watchlist with Logic Apps to ensure it always contains the most up-to-date information on Azure Open AI instances.

Preparing the SOC for Generative AI

Rod’s Blog • 39 implied HN points • 05 Sep 23
🕹 Technology AI Cybersecurity Automation Podcasts Cloud Computing
  1. Before implementing Generative AI in a SOC, it's important to configure incident tags to provide more information for AI.
  2. Assigning specific incidents to analysts based on skillsets through automation rules can enhance SOC efficiency.
  3. Practicing gathering information to create better Generative AI prompts is crucial for successful AI utilization in a SOC.

Building LLM application using RAG

Mindful Matrix • 1 HN point • 07 Apr 24
🕹 Technology AI Data processing Cloud Computing Machine Learning Applications
  1. LLMs have limitations like not being able to update with new information and struggling with domain-specific queries.
  2. RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation) architecture helps ground LLMs by using custom knowledge bases for generating responses to queries.
  3. Building a simple LLM application using RAG involves steps like loading documents, splitting data, embedding/indexing, defining LLM models, and retrieval/augmentation/generation.

The Cloud for Biology

LatchBio • 39 implied HN points • 29 Aug 23
🔬 Science Biology Data Management Cloud Computing Biotechnology Research
  1. Storing and transferring large sequencing files in biology can be challenging due to the lack of user-friendly storage solutions like AWS S3.
  2. Integrating and tracking sample metadata in biology is vital but often hindered by unintuitive systems and lack of system integrations.
  3. Setting up data pipelines and computational workflows for biology data analysis is labor-intensive, requiring user-friendly interfaces and tools.

Building Identity Resolution on Snowflake Using Snowpark

Sonal’s Newsletter • 58 implied HN points • 19 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Data processing Machine Learning Software Development Open Source Cloud Computing
  1. Building ML pipelines in Snowpark requires using third-party libraries like scikit-learn for machine learning.
  2. Integrating specialized functionalities like graph processing in Snowpark may require additional support or custom solutions.
  3. Adapting a codebase from Apache Spark to Snowpark requires careful consideration and potential restructuring to maintain efficiency and avoid technical debt.