Okta MFA Deactivation or Full Factor Reset Event Detection
Flags Okta events indicating MFA deactivation or reset_all actions by a user or actor.
- Product
- okta
- Service
- okta
- Author
- Austin Songer @austinsonger (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2021-09-21
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
ATT&CK techniques
Persistence → Cred AccessRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule identifies Okta system log events where a user’s MFA factor is deactivated or where all MFA factors are reset. Attackers may use MFA changes to reduce authentication strength and impair account defenses, making these events important to review for unauthorized or unexpected activity. It relies on Okta event telemetry matching the specific MFA deactivation and full MFA reset event types.
Reporting behind it
Changelog
v4- 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.
title: Okta MFA Deactivation or Full Factor Reset Event Detection
id: aba92d90-6dab-4969-95f2-87158b2ce7e4
status: test
description: This rule identifies Okta system log events where a user’s MFA factor is deactivated or where all MFA factors are reset. Attackers may use MFA changes to reduce authentication strength and impair account defenses, making these events important to review for unauthorized or unexpected activity. It relies on Okta event telemetry matching the specific MFA deactivation and full MFA reset event types.
references:
- https://developer.okta.com/docs/reference/api/system-log/
- https://developer.okta.com/docs/reference/api/event-types/
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/identity/okta/okta_mfa_reset_or_deactivated.yml
author: Austin Songer @austinsonger, Huntrule Team
date: 2021-09-21
modified: 2026-04-27
tags:
- attack.persistence
- attack.credential-access
- attack.defense-impairment
- attack.t1556.006
logsource:
product: okta
service: okta
detection:
selection:
eventType:
- user.mfa.factor.deactivate
- user.mfa.factor.reset_all
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- If a MFA reset or deactivated was performed by a system administrator.
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
- id: 50e068d7-1e6b-4054-87e5-0a592c40c7e0
type: derived