Security recommendations and score in Azure - Interactive Code Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the code to retrieve the security score from Azure Security Center.

Azure

security_score = client.security_scores.get('[1]')

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Adefault

Bcurrent

Clatest

Dsummary

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'default' which does not specify the latest score.

Using 'summary' which is not a valid parameter here.

The latest parameter retrieves the most recent security score.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the code to list all security recommendations for a subscription.

Azure

recommendations = client.security_recommendations.list('[1]')

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

AsubscriptionId

BresourceGroupName

CmanagementGroupId

DtenantId

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'resourceGroupName' which scopes too narrowly.

Using 'tenantId' which is broader than subscription.

The subscriptionId is required to list recommendations for that subscription.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in the code to correctly fetch security recommendations with filters.

Azure

filtered_recommendations = client.security_recommendations.list(filter='[1]')

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Aseverity eq 'High' and state eq 'Active'

Bseverity == 'High' and state == 'Active'

Cseverity = 'High' and state = 'Active'

Dseverity equals 'High' and state equals 'Active'

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using '==' which is invalid in OData filters.

Using '=' which is assignment, not comparison.

Azure uses OData filter syntax where eq means equals.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to create a dictionary of recommendation names and their states.

Azure

rec_states = {rec.[1]: rec.[2] for rec in recommendations}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Aname

Bstate

Cid

Dseverity

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'id' as key which is less readable.

Using 'severity' as value which is not the state.

Use name as the key and state as the value to map recommendations to their states.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to filter and count active high severity recommendations.

Azure

active_high = [rec for rec in recommendations if rec.[1] == '[2]' and rec.[3] == 'Active']
count = len(active_high)

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Aseverity

BHigh

Cstate

Dname

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'name' instead of 'state' for filtering.

Using wrong severity value.

Filter by severity equal to High and state equal to 'Active' to get the count.

Practice

1. What does the Azure security score represent?

easy

A. A number showing how well your cloud resources are protected

B. The total cost of your Azure services

C. The number of users in your Azure subscription

D. The amount of storage used in your Azure account

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of security score

   The security score is designed to give a simple measure of how secure your cloud environment is.

2. Step 2: Identify what the score reflects

   It reflects how many security recommendations you have fixed and how protected your resources are.

3. Final Answer:

   A number showing how well your cloud resources are protected -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Security score = protection level [OK]

Hint: Security score measures protection level, not cost or users [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing security score with cost or usage metrics
• Thinking it counts users or storage instead of security
• Assuming it is a percentage instead of a score

2. Which Azure CLI command shows your current security recommendations and score?

easy

A. az vm list

B. az network vnet list

C. az storage account show

D. az security assessment list

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the command related to security

   The command to get security recommendations and score is under the 'security' group in Azure CLI.

2. Step 2: Match the command to the correct syntax

   'az security assessment list' lists security assessments and recommendations.

3. Final Answer:

   az security assessment list -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Security info = az security assessment list [OK]

Hint: Security commands start with az security [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Choosing commands unrelated to security
• Confusing VM or storage commands with security commands
• Using commands that list resources but not security info

3. You run az security assessment list and see 5 recommendations. After fixing 3, what happens to your security score?

medium

A. It resets to zero automatically

B. It increases because you fixed some recommendations

C. It stays the same because score does not change

D. It decreases because you had recommendations

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand how fixing recommendations affects score

   Fixing security recommendations improves your protection, so the score should increase.

2. Step 2: Eliminate incorrect options

   The score does not decrease or reset to zero when fixing issues; it reflects improvement.

3. Final Answer:

   It increases because you fixed some recommendations -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Fixing issues = score up [OK]

Hint: Fixing recommendations raises your security score [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking score decreases when fixing issues
• Believing score stays constant regardless of fixes
• Assuming score resets after changes

4. You tried to run az security assessment list but got an error saying 'command not found'. What is the likely cause?

medium

A. Azure CLI is not installed or not updated

B. You typed the command correctly but your internet is off

C. Your subscription has no virtual machines

D. You need to run the command inside a virtual machine

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze the error message

   'Command not found' usually means the CLI tool or extension is missing or outdated.

2. Step 2: Check other options

   Internet off would cause different errors; subscription content or VM location does not cause 'command not found'.

3. Final Answer:

   Azure CLI is not installed or not updated -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Command not found = CLI missing or outdated [OK]

Hint: Command not found means CLI missing or outdated [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming internet off causes 'command not found'
• Thinking subscription content affects command availability
• Trying to run commands only inside VMs

5. Your Azure security score is low due to many open ports on virtual machines. What is the best way to improve your score?

hard

A. Add more storage accounts

B. Increase the size of your virtual machines

C. Close unnecessary ports using network security groups

D. Create more virtual networks

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the security risk

   Open ports increase attack surface; closing unnecessary ports reduces risk.

2. Step 2: Choose the best action to reduce risk

   Network security groups control ports; closing ports improves security score.

3. Step 3: Eliminate unrelated options

   Increasing VM size, adding storage, or creating networks do not reduce open ports or improve security score.

4. Final Answer:

   Close unnecessary ports using network security groups -> Option C

5. Quick Check:

   Close ports = better security score [OK]

Hint: Close open ports with security groups to boost score [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking bigger VMs improve security score
• Adding storage or networks unrelated to port security
• Ignoring network security group rules