Cisco Duo Policy Allow Old Java

SPLUNK detection rule by Patrick Bareiss, Splunk · Apache-2.0

The following analytic detects when a Duo policy is created or updated to allow the use of outdated Java versions, which can introduce significant security risks. It works by searching Duo administrator activity logs for policy creation or update actions where the policy explicitly sets 'java_remediation' to 'no remediation', indicating that no restrictions are enforced against old Java. The analytic aggregates relevant details such as the user, admin email, and action context for further investigation. Identifying this behavior is critical for a Security Operations Center (SOC) because allowing outdated Java can expose an organization to known vulnerabilities, malware, and exploitation techniques. Attackers or malicious insiders may attempt to weaken security controls by modifying policies to permit insecure software, increasing the risk of compromise. Prompt detection enables SOC analysts to respond quickly, revert risky changes, and mitigate potential threats before they are exploited.

name: Cisco Duo Policy Allow Old Java
id: ff56d843-57de-4a87-b726-13b145f6bf96
version: 6
creation_date: '2025-07-10'
modification_date: '2026-05-13'
author: Patrick Bareiss, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: |
    The following analytic detects when a Duo policy is created or updated to allow the use of outdated Java versions, which can introduce significant
    security risks. It works by searching Duo administrator activity logs for policy creation or update actions where the policy explicitly sets
    'java_remediation' to 'no remediation', indicating that no restrictions are enforced against old Java. The analytic aggregates relevant details
    such as the user, admin email, and action context for further investigation. Identifying this behavior is critical for a Security Operations Center
    (SOC) because allowing outdated Java can expose an organization to known vulnerabilities, malware, and exploitation techniques. Attackers or malicious
    insiders may attempt to weaken security controls by modifying policies to permit insecure software, increasing the risk of compromise. Prompt detection
    enables SOC analysts to respond quickly, revert risky changes, and mitigate potential threats before they are exploited.
data_source:
    - Cisco Duo Administrator
search: |-
    `cisco_duo_administrator` action=policy_update OR action=policy_create
      | spath input=description
      | search java_remediation="no remediation"
      | rename object as user
      | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime
        BY action actionlabel description
           user admin_email
      | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
      | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
      | `cisco_duo_policy_allow_old_java_filter`
how_to_implement: The analytic leverages Duo activity logs to be ingested using the Cisco Security Cloud App (https://splunkbase.splunk.com/app/7404).
known_false_positives: No false positives have been identified at this time.
references:
    - https://splunkbase.splunk.com/app/7404
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: A policy has been created or updated to allow old java by user $user$ with email $admin_email$
    entity:
        field: user
        type: user
        score: 50
analytic_story:
    - Cisco Duo Suspicious Activity
asset_type: Identity
mitre_attack_id:
    - T1556
product:
    - Splunk Enterprise
    - Splunk Enterprise Security
    - Splunk Cloud
category: application
security_domain: identity
tests:
    - name: True Positive Test
      attack_data:
        - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1556/cisco_duo_policy_allow_old_flash_and_java/cisco_duo_administrator.json
          source: duo
          sourcetype: cisco:duo:administrator
      test_type: unit

[[ currentRule.title && currentRule.title.length > 60 ? currentRule.title.slice(0, 60) + '…' : currentRule.title ]]

69b4e9af-ebc4-4a87-893e-2f5f27c213d6

Propose edits, view related rules, and engage with the community through comments.

Executable code, not a declarative rule

This submission is arbitrary [[ currentRule.format ? currentRule.format.toUpperCase() : '' ]] code, not a declarative detection rule — review it as you would any script before running it, and note that it cannot be safely aggregated or auto-executed alongside YARA/Sigma/Suricata/CRS rules.

Rejected pattern present

[[ reason ]]

What does this mean?

Format & documentation suggestions

Not a security issue — this rule is valid and was accepted as-is. These are optional fields/conventions its own format recommends, mainly affecting its quality score and how well it documents itself for other reviewers.

[[ reason ]]

What do these messages mean?

[[ currentRule.title && currentRule.title.length > 60 ? currentRule.title.slice(0, 60) + '…' : currentRule.title ]]

[[ currentRule.title ]]

Community Discussion