Last Updated on May 30, 2025 by Arnav Sharma
Security isnโt optional in the cloud โ itโs everything. And when youโre choosing between AWS and Azure, understanding their security models, tools, and philosophies is a must. Whether youโre securing critical data, implementing zero trust, or trying to make sense of shared responsibility, this blog breaks it all down in plain English. Letโs compare how the two titans of cloud approach security from the ground up.
1. Shared Responsibility Models: Different Styles, Same Goal
Both Azure and AWS operate on a shared responsibility model โ the cloud provider secures the infrastructure, and the customer secures their data, identities, and configurations. But the way they explain it differs.
Azure organizes it by service model: IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. As you move up the stack, Microsoft takes on more responsibility. For example, in Azure VMs (IaaS), you manage the OS, apps, and network settings. In Azure SQL (PaaS), Microsoft handles the OS and runtime, but you still own data and access control. In SaaS (e.g., Microsoft 365), your main job is data protection and identity management.
AWS simplifies it into two concepts: “security of the cloud” (AWS’s job) and “security in the cloud” (your job). The deeper you go into services like EC2, the more you manage. With abstracted services like S3 or DynamoDB, AWS handles more under the hood.
Example: AWS adds clarity with its three control types โ inherited (like datacenter security), shared (like patching), and customer-specific (like data classification). Azure doesnโt label them this way but emphasizes configuration tools like Azure Policy and Identity Protection to manage your share.
2. Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Hidden Complexity
Both platforms offer SLAs, but finding them for security services is like looking for buried treasure.
Azure SLAs vary by service โ 99.9% for Key Vault, higher for critical systems. But youโll often have to dig through the consolidated SLA document to find details for services like Sentinel or Defender.
AWS has a centralized SLA page, but many core security features (like IAM) donโt have explicit SLAs. Services like Security Hub and Shield Advanced do, but others rely on “commercially reasonable efforts.”
Example: AWS Shield Advanced has a unique SLA โ not for uptime, but for protection. If Shield fails to stop an attack that causes SLA violations in other services, you may be eligible for credits.
3. Zero Trust Philosophy: Microsoft Leads with Entra
Zero Trust means trust no one, verify everything. Both clouds embrace this, but their styles differ.
Azure puts Conditional Access (via Microsoft Entra ID) front and center. Itโs the policy brain that checks location, device state, sign-in risk, and more before granting access. Combine it with Defender for Cloud and Azure Policy, and youโve got a robust Zero Trust stack.
AWS takes a more composable approach. It uses IAM and network segmentation tools like Security Groups and Verified Access. Youโll mix services like GuardDuty, IAM Identity Center, and API Gateway with policies and automation to build Zero Trust controls.
Example: In Azure, Conditional Access can block access from an unmanaged device in real-time. In AWS, youโd stitch together IAM conditions, tags, and GuardDuty alerts โ more flexibility, but also more work.
4. Identity and Access: Roles vs. Policies
Access control is where things get opinionated.
Azure uses Role-Based Access Control (RBAC). You assign roles (like Reader or Contributor) at the management group, subscription, or resource level. Itโs structured, with built-in roles and custom ones if needed. Microsoft Entra also manages directory roles (like Global Admin).
AWS uses policy-based access via JSON documents. Itโs extremely granular โ you define who can do what on which resources, and under what conditions. IAM Roles are key for delegation, and IAM Identity Center handles SSO across accounts.
Example: Azure RBAC is like picking a job title from a list. AWS IAM is like writing someoneโs job description from scratch.
5. Secrets and Key Management
Secrets and encryption keys need protection too.
Azure Key Vault handles secrets, keys, and certificates in one place. It integrates with Azure services and supports HSM-backed keys and BYOK. Key rotation requires custom automation (e.g., Azure Functions).
AWS splits it: Secrets Manager handles secrets like DB passwords (with built-in rotation), KMS handles encryption keys, and ACM manages certificates. AWSโs automatic secret rotation for services like RDS is a standout.
Example: Azure gives you one vault for everything. AWS gives you dedicated tools with deeper features per use case โ but more moving parts.
6. Encryption and Data Protection
Both clouds offer strong encryption for data at rest and in transit โ but with some differences.
Azure uses platform-managed keys by default in many services and supports Customer-Managed Keys through Key Vault. Azure Disk Encryption and SQL TDE are common, with Always Encrypted offering client-side protection.
AWS offers options like SSE-S3, SSE-KMS, and customer-provided keys. KMS supports multiple key types, and RDS supports TDE for SQL Server and Oracle. Client-side encryption is also supported via SDKs.
Example: Azureโs Always Encrypted protects specific SQL columns even from DBAs. AWS doesnโt have an equivalent โ youโd need to build client-side logic.
7. SIEM, SOAR, and XDR
Security isnโt just prevention โ itโs detection and response too.
Azure Sentinel is a full SIEM/SOAR platform. It ingests data, detects threats with ML, and triggers Logic Apps to respond. It integrates tightly with Defender XDR, giving you end-to-end visibility.
AWS Security Lake aggregates logs across regions and accounts, stores them in S3 in OCSF format, and feeds them into analytics tools like Athena or OpenSearch. AWS lets you choose your SIEM โ Splunk, Datadog, etc.
Example: Sentinel is a one-stop-shop. AWS Security Lake is a data lake โ great if you want to build your own pipeline, but not an out-of-the-box SIEM.
8. Threat Detection and Response
Itโs not about if something goes wrong, but how fast you detect it.
Azure combines Defender for Cloud, Microsoft Sentinel, and Entra ID Protection to detect risky sign-ins, malware, misconfigurations, and more. UEBA is built into Sentinel, and Defender plans cover SQL, containers, Key Vaults, and more.
AWS uses a modular stack: GuardDuty for threats, Inspector for vulnerabilities, Macie for sensitive data, and Security Hub to tie it all together. You can trigger responses via EventBridge and Lambda.
Example: Azure gives you tight integration and incident correlation. AWS gives you a flexible toolkit โ powerful, but youโre assembling the playbook yourself.
9. Compliance and Governance
When auditors call, it helps to have answers ready.
Azure uses Azure Policy and Blueprints to enforce rules and deploy governed environments. Microsoft Purview adds data governance, compliance scorecards, and built-in assessments for standards like GDPR and ISO 27001.
AWS provides AWS Config for compliance tracking, Service Control Policies (SCPs) to set permission boundaries, and Control Tower to enforce best practices. For detailed auditing and detection, AWS integrates with Security Hub and CloudTrail.
Example: Azure gives you an all-in-one compliance dashboard. AWS gives you building blocks to construct your own framework.
Final Thoughts
Both AWS and Azure offer excellent security โ but their approaches are different. Azure is more opinionated, tightly integrated, and often simpler to manage, especially if you’re already deep in the Microsoft ecosystem. AWS offers unparalleled flexibility, customization, and modularity, which is great for teams with advanced security needs and the resources to manage them. Pick the platform that fits your teamโs strengths and compliance requirements. And remember โ security isnโt something you configure once and forget. Itโs a journey. Stay sharp, stay patched, and stay paranoid (in a healthy way).