Okta: Unauthorized App Access Attempt Based on System Log Message
Alerts when Okta logs show a user attempted unauthorized access to an app.
FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v4
- Product
- okta
- Service
- okta
- Author
- Austin Songer @austinsonger (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2021-09-12
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
What it detects
This rule flags events where Okta records that a user attempted unauthorized access to an application. Attackers often probe app authorization boundaries to gain access to protected resources or validate misconfigurations. Detection relies on Okta System Log telemetry, specifically the event's display message indicating an unauthorized app access attempt.
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.
okta-unauthorized-app-access-attempt-via-system-log-display-message-6cc2b61b
title: "Okta: Unauthorized App Access Attempt Based on System Log Message"
id: 99c1f69e-87f3-4da8-869f-120dc25edb95
status: test
description: This rule flags events where Okta records that a user attempted unauthorized access to an application. Attackers often probe app authorization boundaries to gain access to protected resources or validate misconfigurations. Detection relies on Okta System Log telemetry, specifically the event's display message indicating an unauthorized app access attempt.
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_unauthorized_access_to_app.yml
author: Austin Songer @austinsonger, Huntrule Team
date: 2021-09-12
modified: 2026-04-27
tags:
- attack.impact
logsource:
product: okta
service: okta
detection:
selection:
displayMessage: User attempted unauthorized access to app
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- User might of believe that they had access.
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
- id: 6cc2b61b-d97e-42ef-a9dd-8aa8dc951657
type: derived