What role do Azure activity logs serve in security management?

Azure activity logs play a crucial role in security management by enabling organizations to audit and track administrative actions that occur within their Azure environment. These logs capture events relating to the usage of various Azure resources, documenting activities such as creation, modification, and deletion of resources. This functionality is essential for maintaining a secure posture, as it allows administrators to review actions taken by users, detect potential security breaches, and ensure compliance with organizational policies and regulatory requirements.

Additionally, the ability to monitor these logs helps in identifying unauthorized access or changes, aiding in forensic investigations when incidents occur. The activity logs provide insight into who did what and when, facilitating transparency and accountability among users and administrators.

While performance metrics, user identity management, and access control are essential components of Azure's overall security model and management capabilities, they do not specifically relate to the monitoring of administrative actions and, therefore, do not serve the same purpose in the context of security management as the activity logs do.