O365 Block User Consent For Risky Apps Disabled

name: O365 Block User Consent For Risky Apps Disabled
id: 12a23592-e3da-4344-8545-205d3290647c
version: 7
date: '2026-03-10'
author: Mauricio Velazco, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
data_source:
    - O365 Update authorization policy.
description: The following analytic detects when the "risk-based step-up consent" security setting in Microsoft 365 is disabled. It monitors Azure Active Directory logs for the "Update authorization policy" operation, specifically changes to the "AllowUserConsentForRiskyApps" setting. This activity is significant because disabling this feature can expose the organization to OAuth phishing threats, allowing users to grant consent to malicious applications. If confirmed malicious, attackers could gain unauthorized access to user data and sensitive information, leading to data breaches and further compromise within the organization.
search: "`o365_management_activity` Workload=AzureActiveDirectory Operation=\"Update authorization policy.\" | eval index_number = if(mvfind('ModifiedProperties{}.Name',\"AllowUserConsentForRiskyApps\") >= 0, mvfind('ModifiedProperties{}.Name',\"AllowUserConsentForRiskyApps\"), -1) | search index_number >= 0 | eval AllowUserConsentForRiskyApps = mvindex('ModifiedProperties{}.NewValue',index_number) | where AllowUserConsentForRiskyApps like \"%true%\" | fillnull | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime by signature dest user src vendor_account vendor_product AllowUserConsentForRiskyApps | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` | `o365_block_user_consent_for_risky_apps_disabled_filter`"
how_to_implement: You must install the Splunk Microsoft Office 365 Add-on and ingest Office 365 management activity events.
known_false_positives: Legitimate changes to the 'risk-based step-up consent' setting by administrators, perhaps as part of a policy update or security assessment, may trigger this alert, necessitating verification of the change's intent and authorization.
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1562/
    - https://goodworkaround.com/2020/10/19/a-look-behind-the-azure-ad-permission-classifications-preview/
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/enterprise-apps/configure-risk-based-step-up-consent
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defender-cloud-apps/investigate-risky-oauth
drilldown_searches:
    - name: View the detection results for - "$user$"
      search: '%original_detection_search% | search  user = "$user$"'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
    - name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$user$"
      search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$user$") starthoursago=168  | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime values(search_name) as "Search Name" values(risk_message) as "Risk Message" values(analyticstories) as "Analytic Stories" values(annotations._all) as "Annotations" values(annotations.mitre_attack.mitre_tactic) as "ATT&CK Tactics" by normalized_risk_object | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
rba:
    message: Risk-based step-up consent security setting was disabled by $user$
    risk_objects:
        - field: user
          type: user
          score: 50
    threat_objects: []
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - Office 365 Account Takeover
    asset_type: O365 Tenant
    atomic_guid: []
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1562
    product:
        - Splunk Enterprise
        - Splunk Enterprise Security
        - Splunk Cloud
    security_domain: audit
tests:
    - name: True Positive Test
      attack_data:
        - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1562/o365_disable_blockconsent_for_riskapps/o365_disable_blockconsent_for_riskapps.log
          source: O365
          sourcetype: o365:management:activity