Azure Application Security Group Modified or Deleted via Activity Log Write/Delete
Flags Azure Activity Log events showing Application Security Group write (modify) or delete operations.
FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v5
- Product
- azure
- Service
- activitylogs
- Author
- Austin Songer (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2021-08-16
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
What it detects
This rule flags Azure Activity Log events where an Application Security Group is modified (WRITE) or removed (DELETE). Attackers can tamper with ASG rules or delete the group to disrupt network access controls, potentially enabling lateral movement or weakening exposure. The detection relies on Azure Activity Log telemetry capturing operation names for APPLICATIONSECURITYGROUPS write and delete actions.
Reporting behind it
Changelog
v5- v5Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v4Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v3Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v2Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v1No changelog recorded for this version.2026-07-30
Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.
azure-application-security-group-modified-or-deleted-via-activity-logs-835747f1
title: Azure Application Security Group Modified or Deleted via Activity Log Write/Delete
id: 37c63290-5824-4ab3-8cd8-6d61db307532
status: test
description: This rule flags Azure Activity Log events where an Application Security Group is modified (WRITE) or removed (DELETE). Attackers can tamper with ASG rules or delete the group to disrupt network access controls, potentially enabling lateral movement or weakening exposure. The detection relies on Azure Activity Log telemetry capturing operation names for APPLICATIONSECURITYGROUPS write and delete actions.
references:
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/role-based-access-control/resource-provider-operations
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/cloud/azure/activity_logs/azure_application_security_group_modified_or_deleted.yml
author: Austin Songer, Huntrule Team
date: 2021-08-16
modified: 2022-08-23
tags:
- attack.impact
logsource:
product: azure
service: activitylogs
detection:
selection:
operationName:
- MICROSOFT.NETWORK/APPLICATIONSECURITYGROUPS/WRITE
- MICROSOFT.NETWORK/APPLICATIONSECURITYGROUPS/DELETE
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Application security group being modified or deleted may be performed by a system administrator.
- Verify whether the user identity, user agent, and/or hostname should be making changes in your environment.
- Application security group modified or deleted from unfamiliar users should be investigated. If known behavior is causing false positives, it can be exempted from the rule.
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
- id: 835747f1-9329-40b5-9cc3-97d465754ce6
type: derived