Azure AD Multi-Source Failed Authentications Spike
The following analytic detects potential distributed password spraying attacks in an Azure AD environment. It identifies a spike in failed authentication attempts across various user-and-IP combinations from multiple…
Description
The following analytic detects potential distributed password spraying attacks in an Azure AD environment. It identifies a spike in failed authentication attempts across various user-and-IP combinations from multiple source IPs and countries, using different user agents. This detection leverages Azure AD SignInLogs, focusing on error code 50126 for failed authentications. This activity is significant as it indicates an adversary's attempt to bypass security controls by distributing login attempts. If confirmed malicious, this could lead to unauthorized access, data breaches, privilege escalation, and lateral movement within the organization's infrastructure.
Detection logic
Detection requirements
- Platform
- ContainersESXiIaaSIdentity ProviderLinuxmacOSNetwork DevicesOffice SuitePRESaaSWindows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the 2 ATT&CK techniques it maps to.
- Log source category
- azure_active_directory
Known benign triggers
- This detection may yield false positives in scenarios where legitimate bulk sign-in activities occur, such as during company-wide system updates or when users are accessing resources from varying locations in a short time frame, such as in the case of VPNs or cloud services that rotate IP addresses. 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/T1110/003/ | 40 |
| docs.microsoft.com/azure/active-directory/reports-monitoring/reference-sign-ins-error-codes | 6 |
| docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security/compass/incident-response-playbook-password-spray | 7 |
| www.cisa.gov/uscert/ncas/alerts/aa21-008a | 11 |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- 116e11a9-63ea-41eb-a66a-6a13bdc7d2c7
- Tagged by the source as
- Azure Active Directory Account TakeoverNOBELIUM GroupAzure TenantcloudSplunk 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