Detection rules › Splunk
Azure AD Block User Consent For Risky Apps Disabled
The following analytic detects when the risk-based step-up consent security setting in Azure AD is disabled. It monitors Azure Active Directory logs for the "Update authorization policy" operation, specifically changes to the "AllowUserConsentForRiskyApps" setting. This activity is significant because disabling this feature can expose the organization to OAuth phishing threats by allowing users to grant consent to potentially malicious applications. If confirmed malicious, attackers could gain unauthorized access to user data and sensitive information, leading to data breaches and further compromise within the organization.
Known false positives
- Legitimate changes to the 'risk-based step-up consent' setting by administrators, perhaps as part of a policy update or security assessment, may trigger this alert, necessitating verification of the change's intent and authorization
MITRE ATT&CK coverage
| Tactic | Techniques |
|---|---|
| Defense Impairment |
Telemetry coverage
| Platform | Record / event type |
|---|---|
| Azure | Update authorization policy |
Rule body
name: Azure AD Block User Consent For Risky Apps Disabled
id: 875de3d7-09bc-4916-8c0a-0929f4ced3d8
version: 13
creation_date: '2023-11-16'
modification_date: '2026-05-13'
author: Mauricio Velazco, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: The following analytic detects when the risk-based step-up consent security setting in Azure AD is disabled. It monitors Azure Active Directory logs for the "Update authorization policy" operation, specifically changes to the "AllowUserConsentForRiskyApps" setting. This activity is significant because disabling this feature can expose the organization to OAuth phishing threats by allowing users to grant consent to potentially malicious applications. If confirmed malicious, attackers could gain unauthorized access to user data and sensitive information, leading to data breaches and further compromise within the organization.
data_source:
- Azure Active Directory Update authorization policy
search: "`azure_monitor_aad` operationName=\"Update authorization policy\" | rename properties.* as * | eval index_number = if(mvfind('targetResources{}.modifiedProperties{}.displayName',\"AllowUserConsentForRiskyApps\") >= 0, mvfind('targetResources{}.modifiedProperties{}.displayName',\"AllowUserConsentForRiskyApps\"), -1) | search index_number >= 0 | eval AllowUserConsentForRiskyApps = mvindex('targetResources{}.modifiedProperties{}.newValue',index_number) | search AllowUserConsentForRiskyApps = \"[true]\" | rename userAgent as user_agent | fillnull | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime by dest user src vendor_account vendor_product user_agent signature | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` | `azure_ad_block_user_consent_for_risky_apps_disabled_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 through an EventHub. This analytic was written to be used with the azure:monitor:aad sourcetype leveraging the AuditLog log category.
known_false_positives: Legitimate changes to the 'risk-based step-up consent' setting by administrators, perhaps as part of a policy update or security assessment, may trigger this alert, necessitating verification of the change's intent and authorization
references:
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1562/
- https://goodworkaround.com/2020/10/19/a-look-behind-the-azure-ad-permission-classifications-preview/
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/enterprise-apps/configure-risk-based-step-up-consent
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defender-cloud-apps/investigate-risky-oauth
finding:
title: User $user$ disabled the BlockUserConsentForRiskyApps Azure AD setting.
entity:
field: user
type: user
score: 50
analytic_story:
- Azure Active Directory Account Takeover
asset_type: Azure Tenant
mitre_attack_id:
- T1685
product:
- Splunk Enterprise
- Splunk Enterprise Security
- Splunk Cloud
category: cloud
security_domain: identity
Stages and Predicates
Stage 1: search
`azure_monitor_aad` operationName="Update authorization policy"
Stage 2: rename
| rename properties.* as *
Stage 3: eval
| eval index_number = if(mvfind('targetResources{}.modifiedProperties{}.displayName',"AllowUserConsentForRiskyApps") >= 0, mvfind('targetResources{}.modifiedProperties{}.displayName',"AllowUserConsentForRiskyApps"), -1)
Stage 4: search
| search index_number >= 0
Stage 5: eval
| eval AllowUserConsentForRiskyApps = mvindex('targetResources{}.modifiedProperties{}.newValue',index_number)
Stage 6: search
| search AllowUserConsentForRiskyApps = "[true]"
Stage 7: rename
| rename userAgent as user_agent
Stage 8: fillnull
| fillnull
Stage 9: stats
| stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime by dest user src vendor_account vendor_product user_agent signature
Stage 10: search
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
Stage 11: search
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
Stage 12: search
| `azure_ad_block_user_consent_for_risky_apps_disabled_filter`
Indicators
These rows show field, operator, and value matches.
| Field | Kind | Values | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
AllowUserConsentForRiskyApps | eq |
| field:"AllowUserConsentForRiskyApps" kind:eq |
index_number | ge |
| field:"index_number" kind:ge value:"0" |
operationName | eq |
| field:"operationName" kind:eq |
sourcetype | eq |
| field:"sourcetype" kind:eq value:"azure:monitor:aad" |