Comparing Azure vs. AWS Security Through the Lens of Zero Trust Architecture
As cloud adoption accelerates, security has become a defining factor in choosing a cloud provider. In 2025, over 60% of corporate data is stored in the cloud, with the majority residing in either Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Microsoft Azure, the two dominant platforms shaping enterprise infrastructure.
Organizations now expect more than just storage and scalability, they demand cyber resilience, defined by IBM as the ability to maintain operations despite a cybersecurity event or service disruption. Achieving this resilience requires more than firewalls and encryption; it calls for a strategic approach rooted in Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA).
This article compares Azure and AWS security models by evaluating how each addresses the six foundational pillars of Zero Trust, as outlined by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and NIST’s Zero Trust Architecture (SP 800-207). These pillars include:
- Identity: Verifying every user, device, and system attempting to access resources.
- Data: Ensuring end-to-end encryption and protection across environments.
- Infrastructure: Securing virtual machines, containers, and configurations against threats.
- Networks: Monitoring traffic and preventing lateral movement through micro-segmentation.
- Devices: Managing and securing endpoints from IoT to on-prem servers.
- Applications & APIs: Protecting cloud-native and legacy apps from unauthorized access and shadow IT.
With Microsoft Azure embedding Zero Trust natively across its network layers and AWS offering centralized security monitoring via Security Hub, both platforms have evolved significantly, but in different directions.
This blog explores how each provider implements these pillars, what differentiates their security philosophies, and how cloud users play a critical role in maintaining compliance and resilience in a Zero Trust framework.
Understanding the Shared Responsibility Model in Azure and AWS
Both Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS) operate under a shared responsibility model, meaning that cloud security is a joint effort between the cloud provider and the customer. Migrating to the cloud does not absolve organizations of cybersecurity responsibilities, it simply shifts them.
The division of responsibilities depends on the type of cloud service being used:
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Cloud providers like Azure and AWS are responsible for the physical infrastructure, including data centers, hardware, and networking. Customers, however, must secure the operating systems, applications, and data they deploy on that infrastructure.
- Platform as a Service (PaaS): The provider takes on additional responsibility for runtime environments, operating systems, and application hosting. Customers still manage data, user access, and application-level security.
- Software as a Service (SaaS): Providers handle most of the stack, including infrastructure, platform, and application. Customers are responsible for data protection, identity management, device security, and user access controls.
In Azure, users must secure data, devices, accounts, and identities, while AWS customers are also responsible for network configurations, firewall rules, and client-side encryption.
When comparing Azure and AWS through the lens of Zero Trust Architecture, it’s essential to understand how each platform supports these shared responsibilities across the six pillars. Organizations should also assess their internal technical capabilities and if gaps exist, consider partnering with third-party experts to ensure compliance and resilience.
Ultimately, understanding the shared responsibility model helps businesses choose the cloud provider that best aligns with their security posture, operational needs, and resource availability.
Identity Management in Azure vs. AWS
Regardless of provider, cloud users are responsible for managing the identities of all resources, whether people, devices, or systems, attempting to access cloud infrastructure. As cloud environments grow more complex, effective identity and access management (IAM) becomes essential to maintaining security and compliance.
- Azure uses Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) to deliver robust IAM capabilities. It offers a free tier with basic features and paid tiers that support advanced controls for hybrid and multi-cloud environments. For organizations already using Active Directory, the transition to Entra ID is seamless, with consistent security policies across on-prem and cloud deployments.
- AWS provides AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) as a cloud-native service. It begins with a root user account and allows granular control over user permissions, roles, and policies. While AWS IAM is powerful for cloud-only setups, hybrid environments often require integration with external identity providers like Microsoft Entra ID or Okta.
Data Encryption Standards
Data encryption, both in transit and at rest, is a non-negotiable requirement for cloud security. Azure and AWS both offer enterprise-grade encryption tools:
- AWS uses Key Management Service (KMS) to manage encryption keys and policies. It supports customer-managed and AWS-managed keys and integrates with other AWS services for seamless encryption workflows.
- Azure uses Azure Key Vault, which stores and manages secrets, certificates, and encryption keys. It supports RSA and Elliptic Curve key generation and uses built-in FIPS 140-2 validated hardware security modules (HSMs) for compliance.
Both platforms offer automated key rotation, access control policies, and audit logging to help organizations meet regulatory requirements.
Key Management and Hardware Security Modules
- Key management is central to securing encrypted data:
- AWS KMS separates master keys and data keys, allowing flexible encryption strategies. It uses software- or hardware-based HSMs and supports integration with AWS services like S3, RDS, and Lambda.
- Azure Key Vault centralizes key management in a single service. It encrypts keys using HSMs and supports integration with Azure services like Blob Storage, SQL Database, and App Services. Azure’s unified approach simplifies governance and reduces complexity compared to AWS’s multi-service encryption model.
Encryption of Stored Data
Both Azure and AWS offer secure storage options with built-in encryption:
- AWS uses Amazon S3 and Elastic Block Store (EBS) for encrypted object and block storage. Storage is provisioned at instance startup and securely decommissioned upon termination. AWS also supports encrypted relational databases via RDS and Aurora.
- Azure uses Blob Storage for encrypted object storage and offers additional backup and recovery options, including Azure Site Recovery and Import/Export services. Azure supports encrypted file systems, data blocks, and disk drives for temporary and persistent storage.
Securing data across identity, encryption, and storage layers is essential for building cyber resilience. Organizations should choose a cloud service provider whose security architecture aligns with their operational needs, compliance requirements, and existing infrastructure.
Infrastructure and Network Security in Azure vs. AWS
Both Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS) operate expansive global infrastructures, consisting of thousands of interconnected data centers. These platforms are designed to deliver high availability, scalability, and security, core components of any resilient cloud strategy.
Secure Connectivity and Routing
To ensure secure communication between cloud resources and on-premises environments, both providers offer encrypted Virtual Private Network (VPN) solutions:
- Azure uses ExpressRoute and Azure Virtual Network (VNet), which operate on Layer 3 routing. This supports both static and dynamic IP-based routing, offering greater flexibility and control over traffic flow.
- AWS provides Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) and Direct Connect, which primarily use Layer 2 routing. This method relies on MAC addresses and is optimized for low-latency, high-throughput connections.
The difference in routing layers, Layer 2 for AWS and Layer 3 for Azure, can influence how organizations design and manage their hybrid network architectures.
Network Monitoring and Intrusion Detention
The network pillar of Zero Trust focuses on monitoring traffic, detecting anomalies, and preventing lateral movement within the cloud environment. Both Azure and AWS offer native tools to support this:
AWS CloudWatch
- Aggregates logs, metrics, and events from across AWS services and on-prem environments.
- Visualizes data through customizable dashboards.
- Uses CloudWatch Alarms and Events to trigger alerts or automated remediation.
- Helps reduce mean time to resolution (MTTR) by centralizing operational visibility.
Azure Monitor
- Collects and analyzes performance and availability data across Azure services.
- Divides data into two streams:
- Metrics: Time-series data for real-time analysis.
- Logs: Aggregated diagnostic and performance data in a unified workspace.
- Integrates with tools like Azure Advisor, Automation, Network Watcher, and Service Health to provide proactive recommendations and automated responses.
Third Party Integrations
Both platforms support integration with third-party monitoring and security tools such as Datadog, Splunk, New Relic, and Palo Alto Networks, allowing organizations to extend visibility and control across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
By leveraging these infrastructure and network tools, organizations can build a more secure, resilient cloud foundation aligned with Zero Trust principles. The choice between Azure and AWS often comes down to existing architecture, routing preferences, and the depth of monitoring required.
Device Security and Threat Detection in Azure vs. AWS
In a Zero Trust framework, devices, from IoT sensors to mobile phones to on-prem servers, are critical endpoints that must be continuously monitored and secured. Detecting vulnerabilities is only the first step; automated threat detection and response are essential for maintaining cyber resilience at scale.
AWS Device Security Tools
- Amazon Inspector
Amazon Inspector provides automated security assessments for workloads running on AWS. It scans for vulnerabilities in EC2 instances and container images, flagging misconfigurations and compliance issues. While detection is automated, remediation typically requires manual intervention or integration with other AWS services for orchestration.
- AWS GuardDuty
GuardDuty is a threat detection service that uses machine learning, anomaly detection, and threat intelligence to identify suspicious activity across AWS accounts, workloads, and data. It can detect compromised instances, unauthorized access, and malicious behavior in near real-time. GuardDuty integrates with AWS Security Hub and can trigger automated responses via Lambda functions or EventBridge.
Azure Device Security Tools
- Microsoft Defender for Cloud (formerly Azure Security Center)
Defender for Cloud provides continuous security monitoring for Azure resources, including virtual machines, SQL databases, firewalls, and storage. It offers recommendations and risk scoring, and integrates with Power BI for advanced visualization and reporting. It also supports hybrid and multi-cloud environments through Azure Arc.
- Microsoft Sentinel
Sentinel is a cloud-native SIEM and SOAR solution that aggregates data from across the enterprise, including endpoints, cloud services, and on-prem infrastructure. It enables:
- Threat detection and investigation
- Proactive threat hunting
- Automated incident response
- Real-time dashboards and analytics
Sentinel’s integration with Microsoft Defender and third-party tools makes it a powerful hub for managing device-related threats across complex environments.
Automation and Response
Both AWS and Azure offer automated workflows to help organizations respond to threats faster:
- AWS: GuardDuty findings can trigger automated remediation via AWS Lambda or Systems Manager.
- Azure: Sentinel playbooks, built on Azure Logic Apps, allow for automated responses to alerts, such as isolating a device or notifying security teams.
Securing devices in the cloud is about more than antivirus software, it’s about visibility, automation, and integration. Whether you choose Azure or AWS, leveraging these tools effectively is key to maintaining a Zero Trust posture and protecting your digital assets.
Is Azure Security vs AWS Security Better?
Whether you’re evaluating cloud services for the first time or upgrading an existing deployment, both Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS) offer robust solutions aligned with the six pillars of Zero Trust Architecture. Each provider operates under a shared responsibility model, meaning security is a joint effort between the cloud provider and the customer.
The better choice depends on your organization’s cloud strategy, infrastructure complexity, and internal expertise.
Security Centers vs Security Hub: What’s the Difference?
Both platforms offer centralized security management tools, but they differ in scope and depth:
- AWS Security Hub
Acts as a centralized dashboard for security alerts, compliance checks, and automated remediation. It integrates with services like GuardDuty, Inspector, and IAM Access Analyzer to provide a unified view of your AWS security posture. - Azure Security Center (now part of Microsoft Defender for Cloud)
Offers a broader suite of monitoring and management tools for hybrid and multi-cloud environments. It provides real-time threat detection, vulnerability assessments, and compliance insights, with deep integration into Microsoft Sentinel and Power BI for visualization and reporting.
If your infrastructure is relatively simple or cloud-native, AWS Security Hub may be sufficient and cost-effective. For more complex or hybrid environments, Azure’s Defender for Cloud offers greater flexibility and depth, though it may come at a higher cost.
Cloud Expertise Matters
Without a dedicated cloud security expert, navigating the landscape of Zero Trust tools and configurations can be overwhelming. Each platform offers a wide array of features, some essential, others optional, depending on your deployment model.
Choosing the right tools for a hybrid or multi-cloud environment requires careful planning and technical insight. Misconfigurations or overlooked vulnerabilities can compromise your entire infrastructure.
With cybersecurity now a top priority for regulatory compliance and operational resilience, businesses must align with the six pillars of Zero Trust, but they don’t have to do it alone.
Need Help Choosing the Right Path?
Our Azure specialists are here to help you assess your current environment, identify gaps, and build a security strategy that fits your business goals. Whether you’re leaning toward Azure or AWS, we’ll guide you through the decision-making process and ensure your cloud implementation is secure, scalable, and future-ready.
Reach out today to start your cloud security journey with confidence.
