Storage Accounts Hosting Static Sites

Overview

In Azure, Storage Accounts can host static websites, providing a cost-effective and scalable way to serve web content without the need for a dedicated web server. For IT and Security Engineers, knowing the count of storage accounts hosting static sites is vital for ensuring proper governance, security, and operational efficiency.

Why Is Tracking Storage Accounts Hosting Static Sites Valuable?

1. Security Management

• Surface Area Awareness: Static site hosting exposes data to the internet. Tracking these accounts ensures all public endpoints are monitored and secure.

• Access Control: Helps enforce policies like proper authentication, firewall rules, and IP restrictions to protect hosted content.

• Encryption Validation: Ensures that data stored in these accounts is encrypted at rest and in transit.

2. Governance and Compliance

• Policy Adherence: Enables audits to confirm that static sites comply with organizational policies regarding public access and data storage.

• Regulatory Requirements: Identifies accounts hosting sensitive content to ensure compliance with standards such as GDPR or HIPAA.

3. Operational Efficiency

• Resource Optimization: Helps identify unused or underutilized static sites for potential decommissioning, reducing unnecessary costs.

• Content Management: Tracks the scope of hosted sites to ensure consistent updates and maintenance.

Key Considerations for IT and Security Engineers

• Public Access Controls: Ensure static websites are not unintentionally exposed to the public unless explicitly required.

• Content Delivery Network (CDN): Integrate Azure CDN to enhance performance and provide additional security, such as DDoS protection.

• Logging and Monitoring: Use Azure Monitor and Azure Storage Analytics to track access logs and identify potential security incidents.

• Policy Enforcement: Use Azure Policy to enforce configurations, such as requiring HTTPS-only access for all storage accounts hosting static sites.