<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><feed xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xml:lang="en-US"><generator uri="https://jekyllrb.com/" version="3.10.0">Jekyll</generator><link href="https://example.com/feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/atom+xml" /><link href="https://example.com/" rel="alternate" type="text/html" hreflang="en-US" /><updated>2026-09-06T14:30:13+00:00</updated><id>https://example.com/feed.xml</id><title type="html">KQL Field Notes</title><subtitle>Practical Kusto Query Language notes and work-related reference material.</subtitle><entry><title type="html">Find failed sign-in attempts by user</title><link href="https://example.com/identity/investigations/find-failed-sign-ins/" rel="alternate" type="text/html" title="Find failed sign-in attempts by user" /><published>2026-09-06T00:00:00+00:00</published><updated>2026-09-06T00:00:00+00:00</updated><id>https://example.com/identity/investigations/find-failed-sign-ins</id><content type="html" xml:base="https://example.com/identity/investigations/find-failed-sign-ins/"><![CDATA[<p>This query summarizes failed sign-in attempts by user and application. Adjust the time range and result filters for the investigation at hand.</p>

<h2 id="query">Query</h2>

<pre><code class="language-kusto">let lookback = 24h;
SigninLogs
| where TimeGenerated &gt;= ago(lookback)
| where ResultType != 0
| summarize
    FailedAttempts = count(),
    LastAttempt = max(TimeGenerated),
    Applications = make_set(AppDisplayName, 10)
    by UserPrincipalName, ResultDescription
| order by FailedAttempts desc
</code></pre>

<h2 id="notes">Notes</h2>

<ul>
  <li><code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">ResultType != 0</code> keeps unsuccessful sign-ins. Confirm the result semantics for the log source you are using.</li>
  <li><code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">make_set()</code> keeps the application context compact when a user has tried several applications.</li>
  <li>Add <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">IPAddress</code>, <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">Location</code>, or <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">ConditionalAccessStatus</code> to the grouping when the investigation needs that detail.</li>
</ul>]]></content><author><name></name></author><category term="identity" /><category term="investigations" /><category term="sign-in logs" /><category term="Microsoft Entra ID" /><summary type="html"><![CDATA[A starting point for reviewing failed Microsoft Entra sign-ins over a recent time window.]]></summary></entry><entry><title type="html">Useful links</title><link href="https://example.com/resources/useful-kql-links/" rel="alternate" type="text/html" title="Useful links" /><published>2026-09-06T00:00:00+00:00</published><updated>2026-09-06T00:00:00+00:00</updated><id>https://example.com/resources/useful-kql-links</id><content type="html" xml:base="https://example.com/resources/useful-kql-links/"><![CDATA[<p>A short list of references I return to when writing, reviewing, or troubleshooting Kusto queries.</p>

<h2 id="kql">KQL</h2>

<ul>
  <li><a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/kusto/query/">Kusto Query Language overview</a> — The main Microsoft Learn reference for KQL syntax, operators, functions, and language concepts.</li>
  <li><a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/kusto/query/kql-quick-reference">KQL quick reference</a> — A compact syntax reference for common query patterns.</li>
  <li><a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/kusto/query/kql-reference">Kusto Query Language reference</a> — Detailed language reference material for operators, statements, and expressions.</li>
  <li><a href="https://dataexplorer.azure.com/">Kusto Explorer</a> — A browser-based interface for exploring data with KQL when your environment and permissions allow access.</li>
</ul>

<h2 id="query-patterns">Query patterns</h2>

<ul>
  <li><a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/kusto/query/scalar-functions">Common KQL functions</a> — Reference for scalar functions used to transform, parse, and inspect values.</li>
  <li><a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/kusto/query/aggregation-functions">Aggregation functions</a> — Functions for summarizing records with <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">summarize</code>.</li>
  <li><a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/kusto/query/scalar-functions#string-functions">String functions</a> — Useful when filtering, extracting, or normalizing text fields.</li>
  <li><a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/kusto/query/time-series">Time series analysis</a> — Patterns for analyzing trends, baselines, and anomalies over time.</li>
</ul>

<h2 id="azure-monitor-and-security">Azure Monitor and security</h2>

<ul>
  <li><a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/azure-monitor/logs/log-query-overview">Azure Monitor Logs overview</a> — How Log Analytics workspaces and KQL fit together in Azure Monitor.</li>
  <li><a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/sentinel/hunting">Microsoft Sentinel hunting</a> — Guidance for using KQL to investigate threats and develop hunting queries.</li>
  <li><a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/entra/identity/monitoring-health/concept-sign-ins">Microsoft Entra sign-in logs</a> — Field and behavior reference for sign-in data used in identity investigations.</li>
  <li><a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/governance/resource-graph/samples/samples-by-category">Azure Resource Graph query samples</a> — Query examples for inventorying and analyzing Azure resources.</li>
</ul>

<h2 id="open-search">Open Search</h2>

<ul>
  <li><a href="https://docs.opensearch.org/latest/">OpenSearch documentation</a> — The main reference for OpenSearch, Dashboards, APIs, and related components.</li>
  <li><a href="https://docs.opensearch.org/latest/query-dsl/">OpenSearch Query DSL</a> — Query syntax and examples for searching and filtering indexed data.</li>
  <li><a href="https://docs.opensearch.org/latest/security/">OpenSearch security plugin</a> — Documentation for authentication, authorization, encryption, and audit logging.</li>
</ul>

<h2 id="defender">Defender</h2>

<ul>
  <li><a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/defender-xdr/">Microsoft Defender XDR documentation</a> — Product documentation for Microsoft Defender XDR and its connected security experiences.</li>
  <li><a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/defender-xdr/advanced-hunting-overview">Advanced hunting overview</a> — Introduction to investigating security data with Advanced Hunting and KQL.</li>
  <li><a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/defender-xdr/advanced-hunting-query-language">Advanced hunting query language</a> — KQL guidance specific to Microsoft Defender data and hunting workflows.</li>
</ul>

<h2 id="powershell">Powershell</h2>

<ul>
  <li><a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/">PowerShell documentation</a> — Official reference, tutorials, and administration guidance for PowerShell.</li>
  <li><a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/scripting/overview">PowerShell scripting</a> — Core concepts for writing, testing, and maintaining PowerShell scripts.</li>
  <li><a href="https://www.powershellgallery.com/">PowerShell Gallery</a> — Discover and review community modules and scripts.</li>
</ul>

<h2 id="ccna">CCNA</h2>

<ul>
  <li><a href="https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/learn/training-certifications/certifications/associate/ccna/index.html">Cisco CCNA certification</a> — Current certification overview, exam information, and learning paths.</li>
  <li><a href="https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/s/ccna-exam-topics">CCNA exam topics</a> — The Cisco exam-topics outline for planning study coverage.</li>
  <li><a href="https://www.netacad.com/courses/packet-tracer">Cisco Packet Tracer</a> — Network simulation tool for practicing topology, configuration, and troubleshooting concepts.</li>
</ul>

<h2 id="aws-security">AWS security</h2>

<ul>
  <li><a href="https://docs.aws.amazon.com/security/">AWS security documentation</a> — Central index for AWS security, identity, compliance, and governance documentation.</li>
  <li><a href="https://docs.aws.amazon.com/IAM/latest/UserGuide/introduction.html">AWS Identity and Access Management</a> — Guidance for identities, permissions, policies, and access controls.</li>
  <li><a href="https://docs.aws.amazon.com/wellarchitected/latest/security-pillar/welcome.html">AWS Well-Architected Security Pillar</a> — Design principles and best practices for securing AWS workloads.</li>
  <li><a href="https://docs.aws.amazon.com/securityhub/latest/userguide/what-is-securityhub.html">AWS Security Hub</a> — Centralized view of security findings and security posture checks across AWS accounts.</li>
</ul>

<h2 id="community-and-examples">Community and examples</h2>

<ul>
  <li><a href="https://github.com/Azure/Azure-Sentinel/tree/master/Hunting%20Queries">Microsoft Security community KQL queries</a> — Community-maintained Microsoft Sentinel hunting query examples.</li>
  <li><a href="https://detective.kusto.dev/">Kusto Detective Agency</a> — Interactive challenges for practicing KQL against investigative scenarios.</li>
</ul>

<h2 id="keeping-this-list-useful">Keeping this list useful</h2>

<p>Prefer links to durable documentation, and add a sentence explaining why a resource is useful. When a link becomes specific to a tool, workspace, tenant, or internal process, move it to a separate private reference instead of publishing it here.</p>]]></content><author><name></name></author><category term="resources" /><category term="reference" /><summary type="html"><![CDATA[A practical starting list of documentation, learning resources, and tools for Information Security related work.]]></summary></entry></feed>