Azure AD Admin Consent Bypassed by Service Principal
The following analytic identifies instances where a service principal in Azure Active Directory assigns app roles without standard admin consent. It uses Entra ID logs from the `azure_monitor_aad` data source,…
Description
The following analytic identifies instances where a service principal in Azure Active Directory assigns app roles without standard admin consent. It uses Entra ID logs from the `azure_monitor_aad` data source, focusing on the "Add app role assignment to service principal" operation. This detection is significant as it highlights potential bypasses of critical administrative consent processes, which could lead to unauthorized privileges being granted. If confirmed malicious, this activity could allow attackers to exploit automation to assign sensitive permissions without proper oversight, potentially compromising the security of the Azure AD environment.
Detection logic
Detection requirements
- Platform
- IaaSIdentity ProviderOffice SuiteSaaS
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the ATT&CK technique it maps to.
- Log source category
- azure_active_directory_add_app_role_assignment_to_service_principal
Known benign triggers
- Service Principals are sometimes configured to legitimately bypass the consent process for purposes of automation. Filter as needed.
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 |
|---|---|
| attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1098/003/ | 11 |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- 9d4fea43-9182-4c5a-ada8-13701fd5615d
- Tagged by the source as
- Azure Active Directory Privilege EscalationNOBELIUM GroupAzure Active DirectorycloudSplunk CloudSplunk EnterpriseSplunk Enterprise Securityidentity
Licence
- Published under
- Apache License 2.0Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
- Obtained under
- Apache-2.0Read the origin licence
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Aug 26, 2026
- Version
- 1