huntrule

Azure AD Sign-in Logs: Detect ROPC Authentication Flow Use in Application Sign-ins

Flags Azure AD sign-ins where the message indicates an application is using the ROPC authentication flow.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v5
Product
azure
Service
signinlogs
Author
Mark Morowczynski '@markmorow', Bailey Bercik '@baileybercik' (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2022-06-01
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Initial Access → Defense Evasion

  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule flags sign-in events in Azure AD sign-in logs where the sign-in message contains "ROPC", indicating use of the Resource Owner Password Credentials authentication flow. Attackers may prefer ROPC because it requires direct handling of user passwords by the application, increasing credential exposure risk. The detection relies on the presence of the "ROPC" indicator in the logged message field.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1078 — drag to rearrange
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Suspicious SQL Server - Connection Attempt Using a Disabled Account (via application)
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Suspicious Snowflake Anomalous Client Application Associated With UNC5537 (via cloud)
Malicious Network Login Performed to Multiple Targets (via security)
Malicious RDP Reconnaissance with Valid Credentials Performed on Multiple Hosts (via security)
Malicious Local Administrator Added by Atera RMM Agent
Azure AD Sign-in Logs: Detect ROPC Authentication Flow Use in Application Sign-ins
Pivot detection · T1078 · 9 related

Changelog

v5
  1. v5
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  2. v4
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  3. v3
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  4. v2
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  5. v1
    No 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.