Azure AD Privileged Authentication Administrator Role Assigned

SPLUNK detection rule by Mauricio Velazco, Gowthamaraj Rajendran, Splunk · Apache-2.0

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.

name: Azure AD Privileged Authentication Administrator Role Assigned
id: a7da845d-6fae-41cf-b823-6c0b8c55814a
version: 14
creation_date: '2023-04-25'
modification_date: '2026-05-13'
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
      | fillnull
      | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime
        BY dest user src
           vendor_account vendor_product initiatedBy
           signature
      | `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 ("$user$") | 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: 7d
      latest_offset: "0"
finding:
    title: The privileged Azure AD role Privileged Authentication Administrator was assigned for User $user$ initiated by $initiatedBy$
    entity:
        field: initiatedBy
        type: user
        score: 50
intermediate_findings:
    entities:
        - field: user
          type: user
          score: 50
          message: The privileged Azure AD role Privileged Authentication Administrator was assigned for User $user$ initiated by $initiatedBy$
analytic_story:
    - Azure Active Directory Privilege Escalation
    - Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters
asset_type: Azure Active Directory
mitre_attack_id:
    - T1003.002
product:
    - Splunk Enterprise
    - Splunk Enterprise Security
    - Splunk Cloud
category: cloud
security_domain: identity
tests:
    - name: True Positive Test
      attack_data:
        - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1098.003/azure_ad_assign_privileged_role/azure-audit.log
          source: Azure AD
          sourcetype: azure:monitor:aad
      test_type: unit

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