Okta New API Token Created

Severity: medium
Type: Alert
Time window: 1h
Match by: userid
Author: Google Cloud Security
Source: github.com/chronicle/detection-rules

Detects when a new API token is created.

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

Tactic	Techniques
Initial Access	`T1078` Valid Accounts
Persistence	`T1078` Valid Accounts
Privilege Escalation	`T1078` Valid Accounts
Stealth	`T1078` Valid Accounts

References

https://developer.okta.com/docs/guides/tokens/

Telemetry coverage

Platform	Record / event type
Okta	System Log event type `system.api_token.create`: API token created

Rules detecting the same action

These rules filter on the same operation.

Attempt to Create Okta API Token (Elastic)
High-Risk Admin Activity (Kusto)
New Device/Location sign-in along with critical operation (Kusto)
Okta AD Agent Token Abuse - Behavioral (Panther)
Okta API Key Created (Panther)
Okta API Token Created (Sigma)
Okta New API Token Created (Splunk)
Query.Okta.ADAgentTokenAbuseBehavioral (Panther)

Rule body

// Copyright 2023 Google LLC. Licensed under Apache-2.0.

rule okta_new_api_token_created {

  meta:
    author = "Google Cloud Security"
    description = "Detects when a new API token is created."
    rule_id = "mr_beca4f13-9526-4095-ab77-f0fc0610200c"
    rule_name = "Okta New API Token Created"
    reference = "https://developer.okta.com/docs/guides/tokens/"
    mitre_attack_tactic = "Defense Evasion, Persistence, Privilege Escalation, Initial Access"
    mitre_attack_technique = "Valid Accounts"
    mitre_attack_url = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1078/"
    mitre_attack_version = "v13.1"
    type = "Alert"
    data_source = "Okta"
    severity = "Medium"
    priority = "Medium"

  events:
    $token.metadata.product_name = "Okta"
    $token.metadata.vendor_name = "Okta"
    $token.metadata.product_event_type = "system.api_token.create"
    $token.security_result.summary = "Create API token"
    $token.security_result.action = "ALLOW"
    $token.principal.user.userid = $userid

  match:
    $userid over 1h

  outcome:
    $risk_score = max(35)
    $mitre_attack_tactic = "Defense Evasion, Persistence, Privilege Escalation, Initial Access"
    $mitre_attack_technique = "Valid Accounts"
    $target_user_agent = array_distinct($token.network.http.user_agent)
    $principal_ip = array_distinct($token.principal.ip)
    $principal_ip_country = array_distinct($token.principal.ip_geo_artifact.location.country_or_region)
    $principal_ip_state = array_distinct($token.principal.ip_geo_artifact.location.state)
    $principal_ip_city = array_distinct($token.principal.location.city)
    $principal_user_email_addresses = array_distinct ($token.principal.user.email_addresses)
    $security_result_summary = array_distinct($token.security_result.summary)

  condition:
    $token
}

YARA-L rule structure

Condition

Fires when at least one $token event in the 1h window.

Events

`$token`

metadata.product_event_type = "system.api_token.create"
security_result.summary = "Create API token"
security_result.action = "ALLOW"

Match and correlation

Match key: $userid (principal.user.userid)
Within: 1h

Outcome

Outcome variables add context to a detection. When the rule generates an alert, $risk_score is displayed with it.

Field	Expression
`risk_score`	`max(35)`
`target_user_agent`	`array_distinct($token.network.http.user_agent)`
`principal_ip`	`array_distinct($token.principal.ip)`
`principal_ip_country`	`array_distinct($token.principal.ip_geo_artifact.location.country_or_region)`
`principal_ip_state`	`array_distinct($token.principal.ip_geo_artifact.location.state)`
`principal_ip_city`	`array_distinct($token.principal.location.city)`
`principal_user_email_addresses`	`array_distinct ($token.principal.user.email_addresses)`
`security_result_summary`	`array_distinct($token.security_result.summary)`