Azure Privilege Escalation Using an Application

Cortex XDR Analytics Alert Reference by data source

Product
Cortex XDR
Last date published
2026-06-15
Category
Analytics Alert Reference
Index by
data source

Synopsis

Activation Period

14 Days

Training Period

30 Days

Test Period

5 Hours

Deduplication Period

1 Day

Required Data

  • Requires:
    • Azure Audit Log
  • Requires:
    • AzureAD
  • Requires:
    • AzureAD Audit Log
  • Requires:
    • Microsoft Graph Logs
  • Requires:
    • Office 365 Audit
  • Requires:
    • Okta
  • Requires:
    • Okta Audit Log
  • Requires one of the following data sources:
    • Palo Alto Networks Firewall EAL Logs
      OR
    • Palo Alto Networks Firewall threat Logs
  • Requires one of the following data sources:
    • Palo Alto Networks Global Protect
      OR
    • Third-Party VPNs
  • Requires:
    • XDR Agent
  • Requires:
    • XDR Agent with eXtended Threat Hunting (XTH)

Detection Modules

Identity Threat Module

Detector Tags

ATT&CK Tactic

Privilege Escalation (TA0004)

ATT&CK Technique

Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism (T1548)

Severity

Medium

Description

An Azure application was observed assigning an Azure administrator role to a user. This might indicate a privilege escalation attempt.

Attacker's Goals

  • An attacker may add additional roles or permissions to an attacker controlled cloud account to maintain persistent access to a tenant.

Investigative actions

  • Check if the affected account is new to the organization.
  • Check whether the application that added the account to the role is permitted to perform such actions.
  • Check what can be affected by the assigned role
  • Follow further actions done by the account that was added to the role.