Detection rules › YARA-L
Client Secret Added to Entra ID Application
Secrets added to applications have legitimate purposes, but can also be a method of persistence.
MITRE ATT&CK coverage
| Tactic | Techniques |
|---|---|
| Persistence |
Telemetry coverage
| Platform | Record / event type |
|---|---|
| Azure | any: Entra ID audit event (any operation) |
Rule body
// Copyright 2025 Google LLC. Licensed under Apache-2.0.
rule entra_id_secret_added_to_app {
meta:
author = "Google Cloud Security"
description = "Secrets added to applications have legitimate purposes, but can also be a method of persistence."
rule_id = "mr_22d3881f-f84d-42ee-a1bc-5d5eb419b769"
rule_name = "Client Secret Added to Entra ID Application"
tactic = "TA0003"
technique = "T1098.001"
type = "alert"
platform = "azure"
data_source = "azure ad"
severity = "Medium"
priority = "Medium"
events:
$app.metadata.event_type = "SERVICE_MODIFICATION"
$app.metadata.product_event_type = /Update application.*Certificates and secrets management/
$app.metadata.product_name = "Azure AD Directory Audit"
$app.metadata.vendor_name = "Microsoft"
$app.security_result.action = "ALLOW"
$app.principal.user.userid = $user
match:
$user over 5m
outcome:
$risk_score = 65
$event_count = count_distinct($app.metadata.id)
$user_agent = array_distinct($app.network.http.user_agent)
$network_session = array_distinct($app.network.session_id)
$principal_county_region = array_distinct($app.principal.ip_geo_artifact.location.country_or_region)
$principal_ip = array_distinct($app.principal.ip)
$principal_email = array_distinct($app.principal.user.email_addresses)
$target_application = array_distinct($app.target.resource.name)
$target_application_id = array_distinct($app.target.resource.product_object_id)
condition:
$app
}
YARA-L rule structure
Condition
Fires when at least one $app event in the 5m window.
Events
$app
metadata.product_event_type matches "Update application.*Certificates and secrets management"security_result.action = "ALLOW"
Match and correlation
Outcome
Outcome variables add context to a detection. When the rule generates an alert, $risk_score is displayed with it.
| Field | Expression |
|---|---|
risk_score | 65 |
event_count | count_distinct($app.metadata.id) |
user_agent | array_distinct($app.network.http.user_agent) |
network_session | array_distinct($app.network.session_id) |
principal_county_region | array_distinct($app.principal.ip_geo_artifact.location.country_or_region) |
principal_ip | array_distinct($app.principal.ip) |
principal_email | array_distinct($app.principal.user.email_addresses) |
target_application | array_distinct($app.target.resource.name) |
target_application_id | array_distinct($app.target.resource.product_object_id) |