splunk_escuTTP

Azure AD PIM Role Assigned

The following analytic detects the assignment of an Azure AD Privileged Identity Management (PIM) role. It leverages Azure Active Directory events to identify when a user is added as an eligible member to a PIM role. This activity is significant because PIM roles grant elevated privileges, and their assignment should be closely monitored to prevent unauthorized access. If confirmed malicious, an attacker could exploit this to gain privileged access, potentially leading to unauthorized actions, data breaches, or further compromise of the environment.

MITRE ATT&CK

T1098.003

Detection Query

`azure_monitor_aad` operationName="Add eligible member to role in PIM completed*"
  | rename properties.* as *
  | fillnull
  | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime
    BY dest user src_user
       vendor_account vendor_product signature
  | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
  | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
  | `azure_ad_pim_role_assigned_filter`

Author

Mauricio Velazco, Splunk

Created

2026-03-13

Data Sources

Azure Active Directory

References

Tags

Azure Active Directory Privilege EscalationAzure Active Directory PersistenceScattered Lapsus$ Hunters

Raw Content

name: Azure AD PIM Role Assigned
id: fcd6dfeb-191c-46a0-a29c-c306382145ab
version: 12
date: '2026-03-13'
author: Mauricio Velazco, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
data_source:
    - Azure Active Directory
description: The following analytic detects the assignment of an Azure AD Privileged Identity Management (PIM) role. It leverages Azure Active Directory events to identify when a user is added as an eligible member to a PIM role. This activity is significant because PIM roles grant elevated privileges, and their assignment should be closely monitored to prevent unauthorized access. If confirmed malicious, an attacker could exploit this to gain privileged access, potentially leading to unauthorized actions, data breaches, or further compromise of the environment.
search: |-
    `azure_monitor_aad` operationName="Add eligible member to role in PIM completed*"
      | rename properties.* as *
      | fillnull
      | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime
        BY dest user src_user
           vendor_account vendor_product signature
      | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
      | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
      | `azure_ad_pim_role_assigned_filter`
how_to_implement: You must install the latest version of Splunk Add-on for Microsoft Cloud Services from Splunkbase(https://splunkbase.splunk.com/app/3110/#/details). You must be ingesting Azure Active Directory events into your Splunk environment. This analytic was written to be used with the azure:monitor:aad sourcetype leveraging the AuditLog log category.
known_false_positives: As part of legitimate administrative behavior, users may be assigned PIM roles. Filter as needed
references:
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/privileged-identity-management/pim-configure
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/privileged-identity-management/pim-how-to-activate-role
    - https://microsoft.github.io/Azure-Threat-Research-Matrix/PrivilegeEscalation/AZT401/AZT401/
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: An Azure AD PIM role assignment was assiged to $user$
    risk_objects:
        - field: user
          type: user
          score: 50
    threat_objects: []
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - Azure Active Directory Privilege Escalation
        - Azure Active Directory Persistence
        - Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters
    asset_type: Azure Active Directory
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1098.003
    product:
        - Splunk Enterprise
        - Splunk Enterprise Security
        - Splunk Cloud
    security_domain: identity
tests:
    - name: True Positive Test
      attack_data:
        - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1098.003/azure_ad_pim_role_activated/azure-audit.log
          source: Azure AD
          sourcetype: azure:monitor:aad