Custom workbooks in Microsoft Sentinel provide powerful visualization and reporting capabilities that allow security analysts to create interactive dashboards using Kusto Query Language (KQL). These workbooks enable analysts to monitor, investigate, and respond to security threats more effectively …Custom workbooks in Microsoft Sentinel provide powerful visualization and reporting capabilities that allow security analysts to create interactive dashboards using Kusto Query Language (KQL). These workbooks enable analysts to monitor, investigate, and respond to security threats more effectively by presenting data in meaningful visual formats.
To create a custom workbook, navigate to Microsoft Sentinel and select Workbooks from the Threat Management section. Click Add workbook to start with a blank template or modify an existing one. The workbook editor allows you to add various elements including text, queries, parameters, and visualizations.
KQL queries form the foundation of workbook data. For example, a simple query to display security events might look like: SecurityEvent | where TimeGenerated > ago(24h) | summarize count() by EventID | top 10 by count_. This query retrieves security events from the last 24 hours, groups them by EventID, and shows the top 10 most frequent events.
Workbooks support multiple visualization types including tables, charts, grids, tiles, and time charts. Each visualization can be customized with specific KQL queries tailored to your security monitoring needs. Parameters add interactivity, allowing users to filter data by time range, subscription, or custom values.
Best practices for creating effective security workbooks include organizing content logically, using appropriate time ranges to avoid performance issues, implementing error handling in queries, and adding descriptive text to guide users. Consider creating workbooks for specific use cases such as incident investigation, threat hunting, or compliance reporting.
Analysts can share workbooks across the organization by saving them as shared workbooks in the Azure portal. This promotes collaboration and ensures consistent security monitoring practices. Regular updates to workbook queries help maintain relevance as new threat patterns emerge and organizational security requirements evolve.
Create Custom Workbooks with KQL
Why It Is Important
Custom workbooks with KQL (Kusto Query Language) are essential for Security Operations Analysts because they provide a powerful way to visualize and analyze security data in Microsoft Sentinel. Workbooks enable analysts to create interactive dashboards that consolidate multiple data sources, helping identify threats faster and communicate security posture to stakeholders effectively. For the SC-200 exam, understanding workbooks demonstrates your ability to operationalize security monitoring at scale.
What Are Custom Workbooks?
Workbooks in Microsoft Sentinel are interactive reports that combine text, KQL queries, metrics, and parameters into rich visual dashboards. They allow you to: - Create customized views of security data - Build interactive reports with filters and parameters - Visualize query results using charts, grids, and tiles - Share insights across your security team - Monitor specific threats or compliance requirements
How Custom Workbooks Work
1. Query Foundation: Workbooks are built on KQL queries that pull data from Log Analytics tables such as SecurityEvent, SigninLogs, and custom tables.
2. Visualization Components: You can add various elements including: - Text blocks for documentation and context - Query controls that display data as charts, grids, or tiles - Parameters that allow dynamic filtering - Links to connect different sections or external resources
3. Parameters and Interactivity: Parameters enable users to filter data dynamically. Common parameter types include time range pickers, dropdown selections, and text inputs.
4. Templates: Microsoft provides built-in workbook templates that can be customized or used as starting points for your own creations.
Creating a Custom Workbook - Key Steps
1. Navigate to Microsoft Sentinel > Workbooks 2. Select Add workbook or start from a template 3. Add query items using the Add button 4. Write KQL queries to retrieve relevant security data 5. Configure visualization types (pie chart, bar chart, grid, etc.) 6. Add parameters for interactivity 7. Save the workbook to your workspace
Common KQL Functions for Workbooks
- summarize: Aggregate data for charts - render: Specify visualization type - project: Select specific columns to display - where: Filter data based on conditions - extend: Create calculated columns
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Create Custom Workbooks with KQL
1. Know the difference between workbooks and other visualizations: Understand that workbooks offer more customization than dashboards and are designed for detailed analysis.
2. Remember parameter types: Exam questions may ask about time range, dropdown, or subscription parameters and when to use each.
3. Understand visualization options: Be familiar with when to use grids versus charts versus tiles based on the data type and analysis needs.
4. Focus on interactivity: Questions often test your understanding of how parameters make workbooks interactive and reusable.
5. Know template usage: Understand that you can save workbooks as templates to share across workspaces or with other teams.
6. KQL query structure matters: Ensure you understand how the render operator affects visualization output in workbook queries.
7. Access and permissions: Remember that workbook access follows Azure RBAC, and you need appropriate permissions to create and modify them.
8. Linking workbooks: Be aware that workbooks can link to other workbooks, allowing for navigation between related dashboards.