Entra ID Recently Created User Assigned an Entra ID Role

// Copyright 2025 Google LLC. Licensed under Apache-2.0.

rule entra_id_recently_created_user_assigned_entra_id_roles {

  meta:
    author = "Google Cloud Security"
    description = "Detect users who are newly created and then immediately assigned administrator level roles"
    rule_id = "mr_ab6067cd-b8a0-49f7-9efb-8a9b3b096a49"
    rule_name = "Entra ID Recently Created User Assigned an Entra ID Role"
    tactic = "TA0003"
    technique = "T1098.003"
    assumption = "The list msgraph_watchlist_roles_guid is popualted with admin role guids, ie 62e90394-69f5-4237-9190-012177145e10"
    reference = "https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/role-based-access-control/permissions-reference"
    type = "alert"
    platform = "azure"
    data_source = "azure ad"
    severity = "High"
    priority = "High"

  events:
    (
        $create.metadata.event_type = "USER_CREATION" and
        $create.metadata.product_event_type = "Add user" and
        $create.metadata.product_name = "Azure AD Directory Audit" and
        $create.metadata.vendor_name = "Microsoft" and
        $create.security_result.action = "ALLOW" and
        $create.principal.user.userid = $principal_userid and
        $create.target.user.userid = $target_userid
    )
    $create.metadata.event_timestamp.seconds < $role.metadata.event_timestamp.seconds
    (
        $role.metadata.event_type = "USER_CHANGE_PERMISSIONS" and
        $role.metadata.product_event_type = "Add member to role" and
        $role.metadata.product_name = "Azure AD Directory Audit" and
        $role.metadata.vendor_name = "Microsoft" and
        $role.security_result.action = "ALLOW" and
        //To detect on specific roles, they can be added to a reference list and the following line uncommented
        //$role.target.resource.attribute.labels["Role.Role.TemplateId"] in %msgraph_watchlist_roles_guid and
        $role.principal.user.userid = $principal_userid and
        re.replace($role.target.user.userid, `@.*$`, "") = $target_userid
    )

  match:
    $principal_userid, $target_userid over 30m

  outcome:
    $risk_score = 85
    $principal_county_region = array_distinct(strings.concat($create.principal.location.city," ",$create.principal.location.state," ",$create.principal.location.country_or_region))
    $assigned_role = array_distinct($role.target.user.title)
    $assigned_role_guid = array_distinct($role.target.resource.attribute.labels["Role.TemplateId"])

  condition:
    $create and $role
}