Added Credentials to Existing Application — Sigma Rule

Rule metadata and linked tags

Author: Mark Morowczynski '@markmorow', Bailey Bercik '@baileybercik'. Source status: test; severity: high. Source dates: 2022-05-26 / 2025-07-18.

{
  "product": "azure",
  "service": "auditlogs"
}

Pinned original Sigma rule · Detection Rule License 1.1

Source SHA-256: eeb9f4d13576ea50e0c2d9513f0b0be819d29dd9bccb0c4b5c07f10bfb78fbb1

Detection logic

Original source YAML. Source-tag agreement is not proof of complete semantic coverage. This rule has not been compiled for a SIEM backend or validated against live telemetry here.

title: Added Credentials to Existing Application
id: cbb67ecc-fb70-4467-9350-c910bdf7c628
status: test
description: Detects when a new credential is added to an existing application. Any additional credentials added outside of expected processes could be a malicious actor using those credentials.
references:
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/architecture/security-operations-applications#application-credentials
author: Mark Morowczynski '@markmorow', Bailey Bercik '@baileybercik'
date: 2022-05-26
modified: 2025-07-18
tags:
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.t1098.001
    - attack.persistence
logsource:
    product: azure
    service: auditlogs
detection:
    selection:
        properties.message:
            - Update application – Certificates and secrets management
            - Update Service principal/Update Application
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - When credentials are added/removed as part of the normal working hours/workflows
level: high

Original YAML and metadata in JSON

False positives

• When credentials are added/removed as part of the normal working hours/workflows

Source references

• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/architecture/security-operations-applications#application-credentials