Name:Azure AD Privileged Authentication Administrator Role Assigned id:a7da845d-6fae-41cf-b823-6c0b8c55814a version:5 date:2024-09-30 author:Mauricio Velazco, Gowthamaraj Rajendran, Splunk status:production type:TTP Description:The following analytic detects the assignment of the Privileged Authentication Administrator role to an Azure AD user. It leverages Azure Active Directory audit logs to identify when this specific role is assigned. This activity is significant because users in this role can set or reset authentication methods for any user, including those in privileged roles like Global Administrators. If confirmed malicious, an attacker could change credentials and assume the identity and permissions of high-privilege users, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information and critical configurations. Data_source:
-Azure Active Directory Add member to role
search:`azure_monitor_aad` "operationName"="Add member to role" "properties.targetResources{}.modifiedProperties{}.newValue"="\"Privileged Authentication Administrator\"" | rename properties.* as * | rename initiatedBy.user.userPrincipalName as initiatedBy | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime values(user) as user by initiatedBy, result, operationName | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` | `azure_ad_privileged_authentication_administrator_role_assigned_filter`
how_to_implement:You must install the latest version of Splunk Add-on for Microsoft Cloud Services from Splunkbase (https://splunkbase.splunk.com/app/3110/#/details). You must be ingesting Azure Active Directory events into your Splunk environment. This analytic was written to be used with the azure:monitor:aad sourcetype leveraging the AuditLog log category. known_false_positives:Administrators may legitimately assign the Privileged Authentication Administrator role as part of administrative tasks. Filter as needed. References: -https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/roles/permissions-reference#privileged-authentication-administrator -https://posts.specterops.io/azure-privilege-escalation-via-azure-api-permissions-abuse-74aee1006f48 -https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/roles/permissions-reference drilldown_searches: name:'View the detection results for - "$user$"' search:'%original_detection_search% | search user = "$user$"' earliest_offset:'$info_min_time$' latest_offset:'$info_max_time$' name:'View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$user$"' search:'| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$user$") starthoursago=168 | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime values(search_name) as "Search Name" values(risk_message) as "Risk Message" values(analyticstories) as "Analytic Stories" values(annotations._all) as "Annotations" values(annotations.mitre_attack.mitre_tactic) as "ATT&CK Tactics" by normalized_risk_object | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`' earliest_offset:'$info_min_time$' latest_offset:'$info_max_time$' tags: analytic_story: - 'Azure Active Directory Privilege Escalation' asset_type:Azure Active Directory confidence:50 impact:100 message:The privileged Azure AD role Privileged Authentication Administrator was assigned for User $user$ initiated by $initiatedBy$ mitre_attack_id: - 'T1003.002' observable: name:'user' type:'User' - role: - 'Victim' name:'initiatedBy' type:'User' - role: - 'Attacker' product: - 'Splunk Enterprise' - 'Splunk Enterprise Security' - 'Splunk Cloud' required_fields: - '_time' - 'user' - 'properties.targetResources{}.type' - 'properties.initiatedBy.user.userPrincipalName' - 'properties.result' risk_score:50 security_domain:identity
