Microsoft Graph Application Directory Reconnaissance with Denied Requests

Last updated 2 days ago on 2026-11-04
Created 3 days ago on 2026-11-03

About

Identifies a Microsoft Graph application querying multiple directory collections and encountering access denials. Adversaries with compromised application credentials may enumerate users, groups, applications, service principals, directory roles, role assignments, and OAuth grants to identify privileged identities and opportunities for further access.
Tags
Domain: CloudDomain: IdentityData Source: AzureData Source: Microsoft Graph Activity LogsUse Case: Threat DetectionTactic: DiscoveryRule Type: ES|QLPlatform: Microsoft GraphPlatform: AzureLanguage: esql
Severity
medium
Risk Score
47
MITRE ATT&CK™

Discovery (TA0007)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

False Positive Examples
Application onboarding, directory synchronization, inventory tools, and permission-validation scripts may query multiple directory collections and encounter expected access denials.
License
Elastic License v2(external, opens in a new tab or window)

Definition

Integration Pack
Prebuilt Security Detection Rules
Related Integrations

azure(external, opens in a new tab or window)

Query
text code block:
from logs-azure.graphactivitylogs-* metadata _id, _index | where data_stream.dataset == "azure.graphactivitylogs" and azure.graphactivitylogs.properties.c_idtyp == "app" and azure.tenant_id is not null and azure.tenant_id != "" and azure.graphactivitylogs.properties.service_principal_id is not null and azure.graphactivitylogs.properties.service_principal_id != "" and http.request.method == "GET" and http.response.status_code in (200, 403) and url.path in ( "/v1.0/applications", "/v1.0/servicePrincipals", "/v1.0/users", "/v1.0/groups", "/v1.0/directoryRoles", "/v1.0/roleManagement/directory/roleAssignments", "/v1.0/oauth2PermissionGrants" ) | eval Esql.time_window = date_trunc(15 minutes, @timestamp) | stats Esql.request_count = count(*), Esql.category_count = count_distinct(url.path), Esql.denied_count = sum(case(http.response.status_code == 403, 1, 0)), Esql.paths = values(url.path), Esql.status_codes = values(http.response.status_code), Esql.app_ids = values(azure.graphactivitylogs.properties.app_id), Esql.source_ips = values(source.ip), Esql.first_seen = min(@timestamp), Esql.last_seen = max(@timestamp) by Esql.time_window, azure.tenant_id, azure.graphactivitylogs.properties.service_principal_id | where Esql.category_count >= 3 and Esql.denied_count >= 1 | keep azure.tenant_id, azure.graphactivitylogs.properties.service_principal_id, Esql.*

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect Microsoft Graph Application Directory Reconnaissance with Denied Requests in the Elastic Security detection engine by installing this rule into your Elastic Stack.

To setup this rule, check out the installation guide for Prebuilt Security Detection Rules(external, opens in a new tab or window).