-
Entra ID Deviceless Windows Hello Sign-in Followed by Device Registration
Sep 10, 2026 · Domain: Cloud Domain: Identity Platform: Entra ID Use Case: Threat Detection Tactic: Persistence Tactic: Defense Evasion Rule Type: ESQL Data Source: Azure Data Source: Microsoft Entra ID Data Source: Microsoft Entra ID Sign-in Logs Data Source: Microsoft Entra ID Audit Logs Resources: Investigation Guide ·Identifies a Microsoft Entra ID device registration by the same user within 15 minutes of a phishing-resistant, device-bound credential (Windows Hello for Business, FIDO2 security key, or passkey) signing in with no device identifier. In the "borrowing Windows Hello keys" technique, an adversary reuses a WHfB/NGC key or passkey away from its bound device to mint device-agnostic tokens, then uses those tokens to register an attacker-controlled device and obtain a Primary Refresh Token (PRT) for long-lived persistence. Timing is taken from the authentication step on the sign-in, not the sign-in document timestamp, because Entra can emit the sign-in record after the Register device audit event. This chain is distinct from device-code-flow phishing kits.
Read More -
Entra ID Windows Hello for Business Credential Registered
Identifies the first-seen registration of a Windows Hello for Business (WHfB) credential for a Microsoft Entra ID user from a given source ASN in a tenant, based on a prefixed historic window. Enrollment is commonly part of legitimate onboarding or passwordless rollout and is not inherently malicious. Adversaries who have obtained a token that satisfies fresh (NGC) multi-factor authentication, for example by borrowing an existing WHfB key or passkey, can also enroll their own WHfB credential to establish durable, phishing-resistant persistence that survives password resets and standard session revocation. Correlate first-seen enrollments with the sign-in and device state that preceded them.
Read More -
Identifies a Microsoft Entra ID sign-in that is satisfied by a phishing-resistant, device-bound credential (Windows Hello for Business, FIDO2 security key, or passkey) while carrying no device identifier. Windows Hello for Business (WHfB) and passkey credentials are bound to a device's TPM, so a genuine sign-in with one of these methods is normally accompanied by the registered device it lives on. A WHfB or passkey assertion that authenticates with an empty
device_detail.device_idindicates the underlying key material is being used away from its bound device, for example by an adversary who extracted the key (or signed an assertion with it) and replayed it from attacker infrastructure to mint device-agnostic tokens. This is the core primitive of the "borrowing Windows Hello keys" technique and is a strong precursor to attacker device registration and Primary Refresh Token (PRT) issuance. Cross-tenant (B2B) sign-ins are excluded because they are a common benign source of empty device identifiers.
Read More -
Entra ID Device-Bound PRT from Unusual Device IP
Sep 10, 2026 · Domain: Cloud Domain: Identity Use Case: Threat Detection Use Case: Identity and Access Audit Data Source: Azure Data Source: Microsoft Entra ID Data Source: Microsoft Entra ID Sign-in Logs Platform: Entra ID Tactic: Credential Access Tactic: Defense Evasion Resources: Investigation Guide Rule Type: New Terms ·Detects a first-party FOCI tooling client (Azure CLI, PowerShell, VS Code, Graph CLI, Azure AD PowerShell, or Visual Studio) redeeming a device-bound Primary Refresh Token (PRT) for Microsoft Graph, SharePoint/OneDrive, or Exchange Online from a source IP that has not been seen with that deviceid. Replay events are limited to compliant or Intune-managed devices. Adversaries who steal a WAM PRT SSO cookie replay it off-box; the token keeps the workstation deviceid, so this pair is new even when Windows Sign-In for that device is outside a correlation window.
Read More -
Entra ID Device-Bound PRT Replay via First-Party App from Unusual IP
Sep 10, 2026 · Domain: Cloud Domain: Identity Use Case: Threat Detection Use Case: Identity and Access Audit Data Source: Azure Data Source: Microsoft Entra ID Data Source: Microsoft Entra ID Sign-in Logs Platform: Entra ID Tactic: Credential Access Tactic: Defense Evasion Tactic: Initial Access Resources: Investigation Guide Rule Type: ESQL ·Detects a first-party FOCI tooling client (Azure CLI, PowerShell, VS Code, Graph CLI, Azure AD PowerShell, or Visual Studio) redeeming a device-bound Primary Refresh Token (PRT) for Microsoft Graph, SharePoint/OneDrive, or Exchange Online from an IP that is not among that user and device's Windows Sign-In or WAM addresses. Replay events are limited to compliant or Intune-managed devices: the stolen cookie keeps the workstation deviceid, so compliant-device Conditional Access can succeed off-box.
Read More -
Identifies rare instances of authentication methods for Microsoft Entra ID principal users. An adversary with stolen credentials may attempt to authenticate with an unusual method, which may indicate an attempt to bypass conditional access policies (CAP) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) requirements. The authentication method may not be commonly used by the user based on their historical sign-in activity.
Read More -
Detects rare non-interactive sign-ins where an Entra ID client application authenticates on behalf of a principal user using an application (client) ID that is not commonly associated with that user's historical sign-in behavior. Adversaries with stolen credentials or OAuth tokens may abuse Entra ID–managed or first-party client IDs to perform on-behalf-of (OBO) authentication, blending into legitimate cloud traffic while avoiding traditional interactive sign-in flows. This technique is commonly observed in OAuth phishing, token theft, and access broker operations, and may precede lateral movement, persistence, or data access via Microsoft Graph or other cloud resources. The rule uses a New Terms approach to identify first-seen combinations of the UPN and Client ID within a defined history window, helping surface unexpected client usage that may indicate compromised identities, malicious automation, or unauthorized application impersonation.
Read More -
Identifies rare occurrences of OAuth workflow for a user principal that is single factor authenticated, with an OAuth scope containing user_impersonation for a token issued by Entra ID. Adversaries may use this scope to gain unauthorized access to user accounts, particularly when the sign-in session status is unbound, indicating that the session is not associated with a specific device or session. This behavior is indicative of potential account compromise or unauthorized access attempts. This rule flags when this pattern is detected for a user principal that has not been seen in the last 10 days, indicating potential abuse or unusual activity.
Read More -
Identifies when a Microsoft Entra ID user signs in from a device that is not typically used by the user and is not managed, which may indicate potential compromise or unauthorized access attempts. This rule detects unusual sign-in activity by comparing the device used for the sign-in against the user's typical device usage patterns. Adversaries may create and register a new device to obtain a Primary Refresh Token (PRT) and maintain persistent access.
Read More