---
title: Set up Cloud Asset Discovery for Azure
description: This page explains how to set up the Cloud Asset Discovery integration to inventory assets in Azure. The user who gives the Cloud Asset Discovery integration...
url: https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/docs-content/pull/4440/solutions/security/cloud/asset-disc-azure
---

# Set up Cloud Asset Discovery for Azure
## Overview

This page explains how to set up the Cloud Asset Discovery integration to inventory assets in Azure.

## Requirements

- The user who gives the Cloud Asset Discovery integration permissions in Azure must be an Azure subscription `admin`.
- The Cloud Asset Discovery integration is available to all Elastic Cloud users. On-premise deployments require an [appropriate subscription](https://www.elastic.co/pricing).
- The Cloud Asset Discovery integration is supported only on Azure, not on Azure Government. To request support, [open a GitHub issue](https://github.com/elastic/kibana/issues/new/choose).


## Set up Cloud Asset Discovery for Azure

You can set up Cloud Asset Discovery for Azure by enrolling an Azure organization (management group) containing multiple subscriptions, or by enrolling a single subscription. Either way, you will first add the Cloud Asset Discovery integration, then enable cloud account access.
Two deployment technologies are available: agentless and agent-based.
- [Agentless deployment](#cad-azure-agentless) allows you to collect cloud posture data without having to manage the deployment of Elastic Agent in your cloud.
- [Agent-based deployment](#cad-azure-agent-based) requires you to deploy and manage Elastic Agent in the cloud account you want to monitor.


## Agentless deployment

1. Find **Integrations** in the navigation menu or use the [global search field](https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/docs-content/pull/4440/explore-analyze/find-and-organize/find-apps-and-objects).
2. Search for and select `Cloud asset discovery`.
3. Click **Add Cloud Asset Discovery**.
4. Select **Azure**, then either **Azure Organization** to onboard your whole organization, or **Single Subscription** to onboard an individual subscription.
5. Give your integration a name that matches the purpose or team of the Azure subscription/organization you want to monitor, for example, `dev-azure-account`.
6. In **Deployment options**, select **Agentless**.
7. Next, you’ll need to authenticate to Azure. The following methods are available:
   - Option 1: Cloud connector (recommended). `stack: preview 9.2` `serverless: preview`

  Under **New connection**, expand the **Steps to create Managed User Identity in Azure** section. Complete the instructions to generate a `Client ID`, `Tenant ID`, and `Cloud Connector ID`, then enter them in Kibana.
- Option 2: Azure Client ID with Client Secret. Provide a **Client ID**, **Tenant ID**, and **Client Secret**. To learn how to generate them, refer to [Service principal with client secret](#cad-azure-client-secret).
8. Once you’ve provided the necessary credentials, click **Save and continue** to finish deployment. Your data should start to appear within a few minutes.


## Agent-based deployment


### Add the Cloud Asset Discovery integration

1. Find **Integrations** in the navigation menu or use the [global search field](https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/docs-content/pull/4440/explore-analyze/find-and-organize/find-apps-and-objects).
2. Search for and select `Cloud asset discovery`.
3. Click **Add Cloud Asset Discovery**.
4. In **Configure integration**, select **Azure**, then select either **Azure Organization** or **Single Subscription**, depending on which resources you want to monitor.
5. Give your integration a name that matches the purpose or team of the Azure resources you want to monitor, for example, `azure-CAD-dev-1`.


### Set up cloud account access

<note>
  To set up Cloud Asset Discovery for an Azure organization or subscription, you will need admin privileges for that organization or subscription.
</note>

For most users, the simplest option is to use an Azure Resource Manager (ARM) template to automatically provision the necessary resources and permissions in Azure. If you prefer a more hands-on approach or require a specific configuration not supported by the ARM template, you can use one of the manual setup options described next on this page.

## ARM template setup (recommended)

<note>
  If you are deploying to an Azure organization, you need the following permissions: `Microsoft.Resources/deployments/*`, `Microsoft.Authorization/roleAssignments/write`. You also need to [elevate access to manage all Azure subscriptions and management groups](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/role-based-access-control/elevate-access-global-admin).
</note>

1. In **Setup Access**, select **ARM Template**.
2. In **Where to add this integration**:
   1. Select **New Hosts**.
2. Name the Elastic Agent policy. Use a name that matches the resources you want to monitor. For example, `azure-dev-policy`. Click **Save and continue**. The **ARM Template deployment** window appears.
3. In a new tab, log in to the Azure portal, then return to Kibana and click **Launch ARM Template**. This will open the ARM template in Azure.
4. If you are deploying to an Azure organization, select the management group you want to monitor from the drop-down menu. Next, enter the subscription ID of the subscription where you want to deploy the VM that will scan your resources.
5. Copy the `Fleet URL` and `Enrollment Token` that appear in Kibana to the corresponding fields in the ARM Template, then click **Review + create**.
6. (Optional) Change the `Resource Group Name` parameter. Otherwise the name of the resource group defaults to a timestamp prefixed with `cloudbeat-`.
3. Return to Kibana and wait for the confirmation of data received from your new integration. Then you can click **View Assets** to see your data.


## Manual setup

For manual setup, multiple authentication methods are available:
- Managed identity (recommended)
- Service principal with client secret
- Service principal with client certificate


### Option 1: Managed identity (recommended)

This method involves creating an Azure VM (or using an existing one), giving it read access to the resources you want to monitor with Cloud Asset Discovery, and installing Elastic Agent on it.
1. Go to the Azure portal to [create a new Azure VM](https://portal.azure.com/#create/Microsoft.VirtualMachine-ARM).
2. Follow the setup process, and make sure you enable **System assigned managed identity** in the **Management** tab.
3. Go to your Azure subscription list and select the subscription or management group you want to monitor with Cloud Asset Discovery.
4. Go to **Access control (IAM)**, and select **Add Role Assignment**.
5. Select the `Reader` function role, assign access to **Managed Identity**, then select your VM.

After assigning the role:
1. Return to the **Add Cloud Asset Discovery** page in Kibana.
2. In **Configure integration**, select **Azure**. In **Setup access**, select **Manual**.
3. In **Where to add this integration**, select **New hosts**.
4. Click **Save and continue**, then follow the instructions to install Elastic Agent on your Azure VM.

Wait for the confirmation that Kibana received data from your new integration. Then you can click **View Assets** to see your data.

### Option 2: Service principal with client secret

Before using this method, you must have set up a [Microsoft Entra application and service principal that can access resources](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity-platform/howto-create-service-principal-portal#get-tenant-and-app-id-values-for-signing-in).
1. On the **Add Cloud Asset Discovery integration** page, scroll to the **Setup access** section, then select **Manual**.
2. For **Preferred manual method**, select **Service principal with Client Secret**.
3. Go to the **Registered apps** section of [Microsoft Entra ID](https://ms.portal.azure.com/#view/Microsoft_AAD_IAM/ActiveDirectoryMenuBlade/~/RegisteredApps).
4. Click on **New Registration**, name your app and click **Register**.
5. Copy your new app’s `Directory (tenant) ID` and `Application (client) ID`. Paste them into the corresponding fields in Kibana.
6. Return to the Azure portal. Select **Certificates & secrets**, then go to the **Client secrets** tab. Click **New client secret**.
7. Copy the new secret. Paste it into the corresponding field in Kibana.
8. Return to Azure. Go to your Azure subscription list and select the subscription or management group you want to monitor with Cloud Asset Discovery.
9. Go to **Access control (IAM)** and select **Add Role Assignment**.
10. Select the `Reader` function role, assign access to **User, group, or service principal**, and select your new app.
11. Return to the **Add Cloud Asset Discovery integration** page in Kibana.
12. In **Where to add this integration**, select **New hosts**.
13. Click **Save and continue**, then follow the instructions to install Elastic Agent on your selected host.

Wait for the confirmation that Kibana received data from your new integration. Then you can click **View Assets** to see your data.

### Option 3: Service principal with client certificate

Before using this method, you must have set up a [Microsoft Entra application and service principal that can access resources](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity-platform/howto-create-service-principal-portal#get-tenant-and-app-id-values-for-signing-in).
1. From the **Add Cloud Asset Discovery integration** page, in **Setup access**, select **Manual**.
2. For **Preferred manual method**, select **Service principal with client certificate**.
3. Go to the **Registered apps** section of [Microsoft Entra ID](https://ms.portal.azure.com/#view/Microsoft_AAD_IAM/ActiveDirectoryMenuBlade/~/RegisteredApps).
4. Click on **New Registration**, name your app and click **Register**.
5. Copy your new app’s `Directory (tenant) ID` and `Application (client) ID`. Paste them into the corresponding fields in Kibana.
6. Return to Azure. Go to your Azure subscription list and select the subscription or management group you want to monitor with Cloud Asset Discovery.
7. Go to **Access control (IAM)** and select **Add Role Assignment**.
8. Select the `Reader` function role, assign access to **User, group, or service principal**, and select your new app.

Next, create a certificate. If you intend to use a password-protected certificate, you must use a pkcs12 certificate. Otherwise, you must use a pem certificate.
Create a pkcs12 certificate, for example:
```shell
# Create PEM file
openssl req -x509 -newkey rsa:4096 -keyout key.pem -out cert.pem -days 365 -nodes

# Create pkcs12 bundle using legacy flag (CLI will ask for export password)
openssl pkcs12 -legacy -export -out bundle.p12 -inkey key.pem -in cert.pem
```

Create a PEM certificate, for example:
```shell
# Generate certificate signing request (csr) and key
openssl req -new -newkey rsa:4096 -nodes -keyout cert.key -out cert.csr

# Generate PEM and self-sign with key
openssl x509 -req -sha256 -days 365 -in cert.csr -signkey cert.key -out signed.pem

# Create bundle
cat cert.key > bundle.pem
cat signed.pem >> bundle.pem
```

After creating your certificate:
1. Return to Azure.
2. Navigate to the **Certificates & secrets** menu. Select the **Certificates** tab.
3. Click **Upload certificate**.
   1. If you’re using a PEM certificate that was created using the example commands above, upload `signed.pem`.
2. If you’re using a pkcs12 certificate that was created using the example commands above, upload `cert.pem`.
4. Upload the certificate bundle to the VM where you will deploy Elastic Agent.
   1. If you’re using a PEM certificate that was created using the example commands above, upload `bundle.pem`.
2. If you’re using a pkcs12 certificate that was created using the example commands above, upload `bundle.p12`.
5. Return to the **Add Cloud Asset Discovery** page in Kibana.
6. For **Client Certificate Path**, enter the full path to the certificate that you uploaded to the host where you will install Elastic Agent.
7. If you used a pkcs12 certificate, enter its password for **Client Certificate Password**.
8. For **Where to add this integration**, select **New hosts**.
9. Click **Save and continue**, then follow the instructions to install Elastic Agent on your selected host.

Wait for the confirmation that Kibana received data from your new integration. Then you can click **View Assets** to see your data.