Skills
Chapter 2 of 41
Apply IRQL graph functions to KQL or IRQL query results for Kusto Explorer visualization.
6 minutes · 1,354 words · 26 sections
Apply the IRQL graph function family to tabular results. Given a KQL or IRQL query and the user’s graph description, generate a Lift_To_Graph mapping and compose only the stored graph functions needed to visualize, fold, extract, or enrich the graph in Kusto Explorer. The source query does not need to use IRQL.
| Request | Use |
|---|---|
| Turn supplied KQL/IRQL rows into an icon-decorated visual graph | This skill: Lift_To_Graph + Graph_Render_View |
Fold nodes or apply Extract_Node_*, Enrich_Node_*, or Enrich_Graph_* | This skill |
Use make-graph, graph-match, shortest paths, connected components, graph models, or snapshots | azure-kusto-graph |
| Author a non-trivial KQL/IRQL investigation from natural language | A Kusto or IRQL query-generation skill, then this skill |
If a request mixes visualization and native graph analysis, use this skill for the lift/render portion and azure-kusto-graph for operator semantics. Do not replace graph-lift functions with a hand-built edges-first graph unless the user asks for native graph operators.
Get_* selector with obvious columns and simple filters. State the assumed source, and do not invent joins, schema, or investigation logic.Use this skill when the user:
Lift_To_Graph, Graph_Render_View, or Graph_Fold_By_PropertyExtract_Node_*, Enrich_Node_*, or Enrich_Graph_*Do not activate this skill solely for graph-match, graph paths/components, persistent graphs, or generic make-graph construction; those belong to azure-kusto-graph.
Not a natural-language-to-KQL/IRQL converter. The input should generally be a working KQL or IRQL query whose results need graph visualization. Basic NL source requests work only for trivial single-table/selector cases. For general NL-to-KQL or NL-to-IRQL, use a dedicated query-generation skill (available separately).
https://kc7001.eastus.kusto.windows.netValdyTimes, JoJosHospital (graph functions pre-deployed)kusto_query (via Azure MCP Server)Lift_To_Graph and Graph_Render_View are stored functions, not built-in Kusto operators. Before generating or running a lift pipeline against a target database, check what is deployed:
.show functions
| where Name in~ ("Lift_To_Graph", "Graph_Render_View", "Graph_Fold_By_Property")
| project NameLift_To_Graph and Graph_Render_View are required.Graph_Fold_By_Property is required only when folding is requested.Extract_Node_*, Enrich_Node_*, or Enrich_Graph_* function before using it; omit optional enrichment when unavailable unless the user wants it deployed..create-or-alter function definitions in references/DEPLOY_IRQL_FUNCTIONS.md (opens in a new tab). Run the relevant .create-or-alter block, then rerun the preflight check to confirm.references/DEPLOY_IRQL_FUNCTIONS.md for manual deployment.Lift_To_Graph(T, mappingJson)Transforms any tabular KQL result into a unified node + edge table.
Input: Any table T + a JSON mapping string.
Output: Rows with EntityType = "node" or "edge", ready for make-graph.
Graph_Render_View(T)Takes Lift_To_Graph output, splits nodes/edges, and calls make-graph to open Kusto Explorer’s graph window.
Graph_Fold_By_Property(T, NodeType, PropertyName)Collapses nodes of a given type sharing a property value into a single node. Rewires edges automatically.
These are additional stored functions that must already be deployed on the target database. They are not bundled in references/DEPLOY_IRQL_FUNCTIONS.md. Use .show functions to verify availability before including in a pipeline.
| Function | Operation | Key Property |
|---|---|---|
Extract_Node_Email_Sender_Domain(T, displayName) | Adds Domain to node props | EmailSender |
Extract_Node_Employee_Firstname(T, displayName) | Adds Firstname to node props | Name |
Extract_Node_Event_Network_Domain(T, displayName) | Adds DomainName to node props | Url |
Enrich_Node_Ip_Employee(T, displayName) | Adds employee info to IP nodes | ClientIp |
Enrich_Node_Username_Employee(T, displayName) | Adds employee info to user nodes | Username |
Enrich_Node_Event_Authentication_Username(T, displayName) | Adds auth context | Username |
Enrich_Node_Ip_Domain(T, displayName) | Adds DNS domains | ClientIp |
Enrich_Node_Ip_Event_NetworkOutbound(T, displayName) | Adds outbound events | ClientIp |
Enrich_Graph_Ip_Employee(T, mappingJson) | Expands graph with employee nodes | ClientIp |
Enrich_Graph_Username_Employee(T, mappingJson) | Expands graph with employee nodes | Username |
Enrich_Graph_Event_Authentication_Username(T, mappingJson) | Expands with auth nodes | Username |
The JSON mapping has two arrays: node_types and edges.
node_types[]| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
type | Yes | Node type label (e.g. "User", "Host", "IP") |
id | Yes | Prefix for node ID; usually same as type |
key | Yes | Column name whose value becomes the node’s identity |
props | Yes | Array of columns to carry as node properties |
defaults | No | Object of fallback values for null/empty properties |
defIcon | No | Default icon URL for this node type |
displayName | No | Column to use for display label (defaults to id) |
color | No | Column to source color from |
size | No | Column to source size from |
edges[]| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
type | Yes | Edge type label (e.g. "AuthenticatesTo", "SentEmail") |
source | Yes | {"id": "<prefix>", "type": "<NodeType>"} |
target | Yes | {"id": "<prefix>", "type": "<NodeType>"} |
props | No | Array of columns to carry as edge properties |
displayName | No | Column for edge label |
color | No | Column for edge color |
Use icons from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/benc-uk/icon-collection/master/azure-icons/:
Public-IP-Addresses-(Classic).svgVirtual-Machine.svgUsers.svgMailbox.svg (or azure-cds/command-1070-Mail.svg)App-Services.svgStorage-Accounts.svgActivity-Log.svgDNS-Zones.svgGiven the supplied query columns and the user’s graph description, generate the mapping JSON by:
node_typeedge| Entity | Key Column | Available Props |
|---|---|---|
| User | Username | Username, Name, Role, Email |
| Host | Hostname | Hostname |
| IP | ClientIp | ClientIp |
| Email Message | Subject | EnvTime, Subject, Verdict, Url |
| Sender | EmailSender | EmailSender, Domain |
| Recipient | EmailRecipient | EmailRecipient |
| Process | ProcessName | EnvTime, ProcessName, ProcessCommandLine, ProcessHash |
| File | Filename | EnvTime, Filename, Path, Sha256 |
| Domain | DomainName | DomainName |
| Auth Event | (synthetic ID) | EnvTime, UserAgent, Result, Description |
Lift_To_Graph(mapping) to create graph entities.Extract_Node_*, Enrich_Node_*, or Enrich_Graph_* only when requested and compatible with the mapped keys.Graph_Fold_By_Property() only when grouping/collapse is requested.Graph_Render_View().// 1. Preserve the supplied KQL or IRQL query
<input query>
// 2. Lift to graph
| invoke Lift_To_Graph(<mapping_json>)
// 3. Optionally extract or enrich graph entities
| invoke <Extract_Node_* | Enrich_Node_* | Enrich_Graph_*>()
// 4. Optionally fold nodes when requested
| invoke Graph_Fold_By_Property("<NodeType>", "<PropertyName>")
// 5. Render
| invoke Graph_Render_View()For additional prompts and worked examples, see references/EXAMPLES.md (opens in a new tab).
Input query: Get_Event_Authentication_All | where Result == "Failed Login" | take 200
Graph request: “Show IPs, authentication events, users, and hosts; fold events by result.”
let auth_mapping = '{"node_types":[{"type":"SrcIp","id":"SrcIp","key":"ClientIp","props":["ClientIp"],"defaults":{},"defIcon":"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/benc-uk/icon-collection/master/azure-icons/Public-IP-Addresses-(Classic).svg"},{"type":"Host","id":"Host","key":"Hostname","props":["Hostname"],"defaults":{},"defIcon":"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/benc-uk/icon-collection/master/azure-icons/Virtual-Machine.svg"},{"type":"User","id":"User","key":"Username","props":["Username"],"defaults":{},"defIcon":"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/benc-uk/icon-collection/master/azure-icons/Users.svg"},{"type":"AuthEvent","id":"AuthEvent","key":"AuthEventId","props":["AuthEventId","EnvTime","UserAgent","Result","Description"],"defaults":{"Result":"unknown"},"defIcon":"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/benc-uk/icon-collection/master/azure-icons/Activity-Log.svg"}],"edges":[{"type":"RequestsAuth","source":{"id":"SrcIp","type":"SrcIp"},"target":{"id":"AuthEvent","type":"AuthEvent"},"props":["EnvTime"]},{"type":"TargetsUser","source":{"id":"AuthEvent","type":"AuthEvent"},"target":{"id":"User","type":"User"},"props":["EnvTime"]},{"type":"AgainstHost","source":{"id":"AuthEvent","type":"AuthEvent"},"target":{"id":"Host","type":"Host"},"props":["EnvTime"]}]}';
Get_Event_Authentication_All
| extend AuthEventId = strcat(Username, "_", Hostname, "_", EnvTime)
| where Result == "Failed Login"
| take 200
| invoke Lift_To_Graph(auth_mapping)
| invoke Graph_Fold_By_Property("AuthEvent", "Result")
| invoke Graph_Render_View()Input query: Get_Email_All | take 400
Graph request: “Visualize sender-to-message-to-recipient flow and fold messages by verdict.”
let mail_mapping = '{"node_types":[{"type":"EmailMessage","id":"Message","key":"Subject","props":["EnvTime","Subject","Verdict"],"defaults":{},"defIcon":"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/benc-uk/icon-collection/master/azure-icons/Media-File.svg"},{"type":"Sender","id":"Email","key":"EmailSender","props":["EmailSender"],"defaults":{},"defIcon":"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/benc-uk/icon-collection/master/azure-cds/command-1070-Mail.svg"},{"type":"Recipient","id":"Email","key":"EmailRecipient","props":["EmailRecipient"],"defaults":{},"defIcon":"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/benc-uk/icon-collection/master/azure-cds/command-1070-Mail.svg"}],"edges":[{"type":"SentBy","source":{"id":"Message","type":"EmailMessage"},"target":{"id":"Email","type":"Sender"},"props":["EnvTime","Verdict"]},{"type":"DeliveredTo","source":{"id":"Message","type":"EmailMessage"},"target":{"id":"Email","type":"Recipient"},"props":["EnvTime","Verdict"]}]}';
Get_Email_All
| take 400
| invoke Lift_To_Graph(mail_mapping)
| invoke Graph_Fold_By_Property("EmailMessage", "Verdict")
| invoke Graph_Render_View()Basic source request: “Use outbound network events for these suspicious domains and graph IP-to-domain connections enriched with employee names.”
This is the limited fallback: one known selector, one extractor, and one direct filter.
let suspicious_domain_mapping = '{"node_types":[{"type":"IP","id":"IP","key":"ClientIp","props":["ClientIp"],"defaults":{},"defIcon":"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/benc-uk/icon-collection/master/azure-icons/Public-IP-Addresses-(Classic).svg"},{"type":"Domain","id":"Domain","key":"DomainName","props":["DomainName"],"defaults":{},"defIcon":"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/benc-uk/icon-collection/master/azure-icons/DNS-Zones.svg"}],"edges":[{"type":"ConnectsTo","source":{"id":"IP","type":"IP"},"target":{"id":"Domain","type":"Domain"},"props":["EnvTime"]}]}';
Get_Event_NetworkOutbound
| invoke Extract_Event_Network_Domain()
| where DomainName has_any ("raisinkanes.com", "nothing-to-see-here.net", "totally-legit-domain.com")
| invoke Lift_To_Graph(suspicious_domain_mapping)
| invoke Enrich_Node_Ip_Employee("Name")
| invoke Graph_Fold_By_Property("Domain", "DomainName")
| invoke Graph_Render_View()Input query: Get_Event_Process_All | where ProcessCommandLine has "powershell" | take 300
Graph request: “Visualize process, parent process, host, and user relationships.”
let proc_mapping = '{"node_types":[{"type":"Process","id":"Proc","key":"ProcessName","props":["ProcessName","ProcessCommandLine","ProcessHash"],"defaults":{},"defIcon":"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/benc-uk/icon-collection/master/azure-icons/App-Services.svg"},{"type":"ParentProcess","id":"Proc","key":"ParentProcessName","props":["ParentProcessName","ParentProcessHash"],"defaults":{},"defIcon":"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/benc-uk/icon-collection/master/azure-icons/App-Services.svg"},{"type":"Host","id":"Host","key":"Hostname","props":["Hostname"],"defaults":{},"defIcon":"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/benc-uk/icon-collection/master/azure-icons/Virtual-Machine.svg"},{"type":"User","id":"User","key":"Username","props":["Username"],"defaults":{},"defIcon":"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/benc-uk/icon-collection/master/azure-icons/Users.svg"}],"edges":[{"type":"SpawnedBy","source":{"id":"Proc","type":"Process"},"target":{"id":"Proc","type":"ParentProcess"},"props":["EnvTime"]},{"type":"RanOn","source":{"id":"Proc","type":"Process"},"target":{"id":"Host","type":"Host"},"props":["EnvTime"]},{"type":"ExecutedBy","source":{"id":"Proc","type":"Process"},"target":{"id":"User","type":"User"},"props":["EnvTime"]}]}';
Get_Event_Process_All
| where ProcessCommandLine has "powershell"
| take 300
| invoke Lift_To_Graph(proc_mapping)
| invoke Graph_Render_View()When the user supplies a query and describes the graph:
Lift_To_Graph()Graph_Render_View() at the endGraph_Fold_By_Property()Output the complete KQL – the supplied query plus mapping JSON inline as a string let binding – after the required-function preflight passes. Clearly mark unverified function dependencies when the target database cannot be checked.
Optional convenience feature. The default workflow is to output the KQL in chat and let the user copy it into Kusto Explorer or the VS Code Kusto extension manually. Auto-launch is opt-in only.
Always output the complete KQL query in the chat response with Step 1 (connect) and Step 2 (query) clearly labeled:
// Step 1: Connect to your cluster (skip if already connected)
// Example: uncomment to connect to the KC7 training cluster
// #connect cluster('kc7001.eastus.kusto.windows.net').database('ValdyTimes')
// Or replace with your own cluster:
// #connect cluster('<YOUR_CLUSTER>').database('<YOUR_DATABASE>')
// Step 2: Run the query below
<KQL_QUERY>If the user asks to save or open in Kusto Explorer, follow the procedure in references/KUSTO_EXPLORER_LAUNCH.md (opens in a new tab). Key rules:
ask_user to confirm before writing files or launching executablesSet-Content/Add-Content.kql file and suggest the VS Code Kusto extension or ADX Web ExplorerInstall this repository
npx skills add microsoft/azure-skills/plugin marketplace add microsoft/azure-skillsSkills install per repository, not per chapter — the CLI has no documented per-skill form, so we do not print one.
Apply IRQL graph functions to KQL or IRQL query results for Kusto Explorer visualization. Generates Lift_To_Graph mappings and composes Graph_Render_View, Graph_Fold_By_Property, Extract_Node_*, Enrich_Node_*, and Enrich_Graph_* calls. Accepts a supplied query or limited basic natural-language source request; it is not a general natural-language-to-KQL/IRQL skill. WHEN: Lift_To_Graph, Graph_Render_View, Graph_Fold_By_Property, IRQL graph enrichment, graph mapping for existing query results, icon-decorated graph, fold graph nodes. Use azure-kusto-graph for native make-graph analysis, graph-match, shortest paths, components, or persistent graphs.
The verbatim description from this skill’s front matter — the string an agent matches on to decide whether to load it.
main, last pushed 10 August 2026.SKILL.md, not by matching a directory convention. 7 distinct layouts observed: .github/plugins/azure-kusto-graph-skills/skills/*/SKILL.md, skills/*/SKILL.md, skills/azure-app-onboard/*/SKILL.md, skills/azure-kubernetes/*/SKILL.md, skills/microsoft-foundry/*/SKILL.md, skills/microsoft-foundry/models/deploy-model/*/SKILL.md, skills/microsoft-foundry/models/*/SKILL.md.h1 and no skipped levels:.claude-plugin/marketplace.json by Microsoft, declaring 1 plugin. It is read for editorial metadata only — never as the skill index, which is always the repository tree./microsoft/azure-skills.md, and each chapter at its own .md URL.3 files · 17 KB
Everything this skill ships beside its prose. All of it is set here, as subchapters of chapter 2.
Documentation the agent loads on demand, rather than up front.