M365 Identity OAuth ROPC Grant via Legacy Authentication Client
Identifies a successful login by a user principal through a legacy authenticated client (such as Authenticated SMTP, IMAP, POP, or Exchange ActiveSync) in the Microsoft 365 Unified Audit Log, evidenced by the…
Description
Identifies a successful login by a user principal through a legacy authenticated client (such as Authenticated SMTP, IMAP, POP, or Exchange ActiveSync) in the Microsoft 365 Unified Audit Log, evidenced by the "BAV2ROPC" user agent. Legacy basic-authentication clients are translated by Entra ID into a Resource Owner Password Credentials (ROPC) grant, a single-factor flow that submits the user's password directly and bypasses interactive multi-factor authentication. This is commonly abused during password spraying and account takeover.
Detection logic
Its licence does not clear it for publishing here
Sunturai publishes a detection's own text where the licence it arrived under has been reviewed and permits it, and Elastic License 2.0 has not. The query as its source wrote it, its canonical form and the hash that pins this revision are in the workspace record.
Detection requirements
- Platform
- ContainersESXiIaaSIdentity ProviderLinuxmacOSNetwork DevicesOffice SuiteSaaSWindows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the ATT&CK technique it maps to.
- Log source category
- event_index
MITRE ATT&CK mappings
0 exclusive techniques.This is coverage no other published rule has; it is not this rule's total technique count.
References
| Reference | Cited by |
|---|---|
| learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity-platform/v2-oauth-ropc | 4 |
| learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/office-365-management-api/office-365-management-activity-api-schema | 2 |
| redcanary.com/blog/threat-detection/bav2ropc/ | 3 |
| www.huntress.com/blog/lshiy-password-spray-attack | 2 |
| www.proofpoint.com/us/blog/threat-insight/attackers-unleash-teamfiltration-account-takeover-campaign | 6 |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- 3d753eb2-68c4-404a-9279-91a3ad490765
- Tagged by the source as
- Data Source: Microsoft 365Data Source: Microsoft 365 Audit LogsDomain: CloudDomain: EmailDomain: IdentityDomain: SaaSNoise: LowPerformance: NormalPlatform: Microsoft 365Resources: Investigation GuideRule Type: New TermsTactic: Defense EvasionTactic: Initial AccessUse Case: Identity and Access Audit
Licence
- Published under
- Elastic License 2.0Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Sep 20, 2026
- Version
- 3