O365 Multiple Mailboxes Accessed via API
The following analytic detects when a high number of Office 365 Exchange mailboxes are accessed via API (Microsoft Graph API or Exchange Web Services) within a short timeframe. It leverages 'MailItemsAccessed'…
Description
The following analytic detects when a high number of Office 365 Exchange mailboxes are accessed via API (Microsoft Graph API or Exchange Web Services) within a short timeframe. It leverages 'MailItemsAccessed' operations in Exchange, using AppId and regex to identify API interactions. This activity is significant as it may indicate unauthorized mass email access, potentially signaling data exfiltration or account compromise. If confirmed malicious, attackers could gain access to sensitive information, leading to data breaches and further exploitation of compromised accounts. The threshold is set to flag over five unique mailboxes accessed within 10 minutes, but should be tailored to your environment.
Detection logic
Detection requirements
- Platform
- Office SuiteWindows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the ATT&CK technique it maps to.
- Log source category
- o365_mailitemsaccessed
Known benign triggers
- Legitimate applications may access multiple mailboxes via an API. You can filter by the ClientAppId or the CLientIpAddress fields.
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/T1114/002/ | 8 |
| learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/client-developer/exchange-web-services/ews-applications-and-the-exchange-architecture | 2 |
| learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/permissions-reference | 5 |
| learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/azure/active-directory/verify-first-party-apps-sign-in | 2 |
| www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2024/01/25/midnight-blizzard-guidance-for-responders-on-nation-state-attack/ | 12from 2 sources |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- 7cd853e9-d370-412f-965d-a2bcff2a2908
- Tagged by the source as
- NOBELIUM GroupOffice 365 Collection TechniquesO365 TenantcloudSplunk CloudSplunk EnterpriseSplunk Enterprise Securitythreat
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