Associate - Cybersecurity

Role Summary:

Microsoft Sentinel

Key Responsibilities:

• Create and maintain

  onboarding checklists

  for all new log sources: log size estimation, ingestion strategy, placement logic (Syslog/CommonSecurityLog/CustomLog), best onboarding method (agent, API, etc.).
• Evaluate and implement

  native vs custom ingestion

  using

  REST APIs, syslog, CEF, Syslog-NG

  , and

  event hubs

  .
• Manage

  Data Collection Rules (DCRs)

  for structured and unstructured data including

  transformations, filters, multi-line handling

  , and custom table mapping.
• Author SOPs and How-to documentation for

  custom log normalization

  , transformation logic, and DCR limitations.
• Recommend and justify

  table selection strategy

  (e.g., CommonSecurityLog vs. CustomLog) based on customer needs and Sentinel performance.

Ingestion Optimization & Tuning

• Identify and resolve

  log duplication issues

  using correlation, diagnostic settings, and parsing analysis.
• Choose between

  agent-based and agentless ingestion

  strategies; document troubleshooting methods and share reusable configurations.
• Design ingestion pipelines considering

  performance throttling

  ,

  throughput optimization

  , and

  pre-ingestion routing

  (like log routers, collectors, proxies).
• Collaborate with customers to align ingestion design with

  retention policies

  and

  data costs

  .

Health Monitoring & Troubleshooting

• Develop and maintain

  log rotation

  configurations/scripts for Linux and Windows sources, including detection and remediation of rotation issues.
• Create

  scheduled health checks

  , KQL rules, and

  workbooks

  to detect connector failures, latency, heartbeat gaps, and log drop-offs.
• Document

  common ingestion failure patterns

  (encoding errors, firewall/network issues, schema mismatches) with precise

  troubleshooting playbooks

  .
• Maintain playbooks for

  character encoding

  issues (UTF-8, BOM) and solutions for encrypted log payloads or malformed syslog headers.

Forwarding & Collection Methods

• Lead

  Windows Event Forwarding (WEF)

  implementation via GPO with enhanced configurations, filtering, and troubleshooting best practices.
• Configure and tune

  Sysmon, Syslog-NG, Rsyslog

  , and

  Logstash

  for Linux and application logs; implement JDBC or file-based DB integrations.
• Create reusable templates for

  schema mapping

  and log parsing pipelines for non-standard applications and tools.

Scripting & Automation

• Build

  PowerShell/Bash

  scripts to automate onboarding of frequently used log sources.
• Maintain or create

  ARM/Bicep templates

  for Sentinel infrastructure provisioning, including DCRs, diagnostic settings, and analytics rules.
• Script or pipeline complex

  log transformations, parsing pipelines

  , and even alert tuning workflows (e.g., via Logic Apps).

Access Management & Security

• Define and manage

  RBAC roles

  for Sentinel, data source connectors, and ingestion tools.
• Implement

  Managed Identity-based ingestion

  for secure connections (e.g., Azure Function Apps, Logstash, REST APIs).
• Audit and document

  access control

  , permission requirements, and secure token-based configurations used for custom integrations.

Must-Have Skills:

• 3+ years of hands-on experience with

  Microsoft Sentinel

  including DCR, KQL, and ingestion pipeline management.
• Solid understanding of

  Syslog, CEF, Windows Event Forwarding

  , REST APIs, and

  custom data connectors

  .
• Expertise in

  KQL

  , JSON,

  PowerShell/Bash

  , and parsing logic for complex logs.
• Proven experience developing

  health monitoring solutions

  and troubleshooting data latency, connector failures, and ingestion issues.
• Strong experience in

  SOP development

  , documentation, and reusable automation.
• Familiarity with

  data transformation logic

  , log source prioritization, and cost management strategies in Sentinel.
• Ability to work closely with security teams, cloud architects, and customer IT teams to implement best practices.

Nice-to-Have Skills:

• Experience with

  Logstash

  ,

  Syslog-NG

  ,

  Rsyslog

  , and

  JDBC

  log integrations.
• Prior work with

  Managed Sentinel deployments

  or other MSSP environments.
• Familiarity with

  SOAR automation (Logic Apps)

  and integrating Sentinel with

  external alerting platforms

  .
• Knowledge of

  Microsoft Defender XDR

  , Azure Security Center, or other Microsoft Security solutions.
• Exposure to

  compliance-driven onboarding

  (HIPAA, PCI-DSS, ISO 27001) for regulated customers.

Soft Skills & Approach:

• Process-oriented mindset with strong documentation habits.
• Ability to work independently while handling multiple log source requests.
• Troubleshooting-first approach with a mindset of identifying root cause, not just symptoms.
• Strong communication skills for knowledge transfer and training of L1/L2 teams.

Deliverables/Artifacts the Role Will Own:

• Master

  log source onboarding guidebook

• SOP library for

  custom and native integrations

• Collection of

  scripts and templates

  (DCR, KQL rules, health monitors, log rotation)
• Workbook for

  ingestion health monitoring

• Repository of

  common failure scenarios and fix playbooks