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Id3b9a44d7-c651-45ed-816c-eae583a6f2f1
RulenameAzure DevOps Build Variable Modified by New User
DescriptionVariables can be configured and used at any stage of the build process in Azure DevOps to inject values. An attacker with the required permissions could modify or add to these variables to conduct malicious activity such as changing paths or remote endpoints called during the build.

As variables are often changed by users, just detecting these changes would have a high false positive rate. This detection looks for modifications to variable groups where that user has not been observed modifying them before.
SeverityMedium
TacticsDefenseEvasion
TechniquesT1578
KindScheduled
Query frequency1d
Query period14d
Trigger threshold0
Trigger operatorgt
Source Urihttps://github.com/Azure/Azure-Sentinel/blob/master/Solutions/AzureDevOpsAuditing/Analytic%20Rules/ADOVariableModifiedByNewUser.yaml
Version1.0.6
Arm template3b9a44d7-c651-45ed-816c-eae583a6f2f1.json
Deploy To Azure
let lookback = 14d;
let timeframe = 1d;
let historical_data =
ADOAuditLogs
| where TimeGenerated > ago(lookback) and TimeGenerated < ago(timeframe)
| where OperationName =~ "Library.VariableGroupModified"
| extend variables = Data.Variables
| extend VariableGroupId = tostring(Data.VariableGroupId)
| extend UserKey = strcat(VariableGroupId, "-", ActorUserId)
| project UserKey;
ADOAuditLogs
| where TimeGenerated > ago(timeframe)
| where OperationName =~ "Library.VariableGroupModified"
| extend VariableGroupName = tostring(Data.VariableGroupName)
| extend VariableGroupId = tostring(Data.VariableGroupId)
| extend UserKey = strcat(VariableGroupId, "-", ActorUserId)
| where UserKey !in (historical_data)
| project-away UserKey
| project-reorder TimeGenerated, VariableGroupName, ActorUPN, IpAddress, UserAgent
| extend timestamp = TimeGenerated
| extend AccountName = tostring(split(ActorUPN, "@")[0]), AccountUPNSuffix = tostring(split(ActorUPN, "@")[1])
name: Azure DevOps Build Variable Modified by New User
triggerOperator: gt
query: |
  let lookback = 14d;
  let timeframe = 1d;
  let historical_data =
  ADOAuditLogs
  | where TimeGenerated > ago(lookback) and TimeGenerated < ago(timeframe)
  | where OperationName =~ "Library.VariableGroupModified"
  | extend variables = Data.Variables
  | extend VariableGroupId = tostring(Data.VariableGroupId)
  | extend UserKey = strcat(VariableGroupId, "-", ActorUserId)
  | project UserKey;
  ADOAuditLogs
  | where TimeGenerated > ago(timeframe)
  | where OperationName =~ "Library.VariableGroupModified"
  | extend VariableGroupName = tostring(Data.VariableGroupName)
  | extend VariableGroupId = tostring(Data.VariableGroupId)
  | extend UserKey = strcat(VariableGroupId, "-", ActorUserId)
  | where UserKey !in (historical_data)
  | project-away UserKey
  | project-reorder TimeGenerated, VariableGroupName, ActorUPN, IpAddress, UserAgent
  | extend timestamp = TimeGenerated
  | extend AccountName = tostring(split(ActorUPN, "@")[0]), AccountUPNSuffix = tostring(split(ActorUPN, "@")[1])
queryFrequency: 1d
description: |
  'Variables can be configured and used at any stage of the build process in Azure DevOps to inject values. An attacker with the required permissions could modify or add to these variables to conduct malicious activity such as changing paths or remote endpoints called during the build.
  As variables are often changed by users, just detecting these changes would have a high false positive rate. This detection looks for modifications to variable groups where that user has not been observed modifying them before.'
id: 3b9a44d7-c651-45ed-816c-eae583a6f2f1
triggerThreshold: 0
queryPeriod: 14d
version: 1.0.6
kind: Scheduled
status: Available
severity: Medium
requiredDataConnectors: []
OriginalUri: https://github.com/Azure/Azure-Sentinel/blob/master/Solutions/AzureDevOpsAuditing/Analytic%20Rules/ADOVariableModifiedByNewUser.yaml
relevantTechniques:
- T1578
tactics:
- DefenseEvasion
entityMappings:
- fieldMappings:
  - identifier: FullName
    columnName: ActorUPN
  - identifier: Name
    columnName: AccountName
  - identifier: UPNSuffix
    columnName: AccountUPNSuffix
  entityType: Account
- fieldMappings:
  - identifier: Address
    columnName: IpAddress
  entityType: IP
{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "parameters": {
    "workspace": {
      "type": "String"
    }
  },
  "resources": [
    {
      "apiVersion": "2024-01-01-preview",
      "id": "[concat(resourceId('Microsoft.OperationalInsights/workspaces/providers', parameters('workspace'), 'Microsoft.SecurityInsights'),'/alertRules/3b9a44d7-c651-45ed-816c-eae583a6f2f1')]",
      "kind": "Scheduled",
      "name": "[concat(parameters('workspace'),'/Microsoft.SecurityInsights/3b9a44d7-c651-45ed-816c-eae583a6f2f1')]",
      "properties": {
        "alertRuleTemplateName": "3b9a44d7-c651-45ed-816c-eae583a6f2f1",
        "customDetails": null,
        "description": "'Variables can be configured and used at any stage of the build process in Azure DevOps to inject values. An attacker with the required permissions could modify or add to these variables to conduct malicious activity such as changing paths or remote endpoints called during the build.\nAs variables are often changed by users, just detecting these changes would have a high false positive rate. This detection looks for modifications to variable groups where that user has not been observed modifying them before.'\n",
        "displayName": "Azure DevOps Build Variable Modified by New User",
        "enabled": true,
        "entityMappings": [
          {
            "entityType": "Account",
            "fieldMappings": [
              {
                "columnName": "ActorUPN",
                "identifier": "FullName"
              },
              {
                "columnName": "AccountName",
                "identifier": "Name"
              },
              {
                "columnName": "AccountUPNSuffix",
                "identifier": "UPNSuffix"
              }
            ]
          },
          {
            "entityType": "IP",
            "fieldMappings": [
              {
                "columnName": "IpAddress",
                "identifier": "Address"
              }
            ]
          }
        ],
        "OriginalUri": "https://github.com/Azure/Azure-Sentinel/blob/master/Solutions/AzureDevOpsAuditing/Analytic%20Rules/ADOVariableModifiedByNewUser.yaml",
        "query": "let lookback = 14d;\nlet timeframe = 1d;\nlet historical_data =\nADOAuditLogs\n| where TimeGenerated > ago(lookback) and TimeGenerated < ago(timeframe)\n| where OperationName =~ \"Library.VariableGroupModified\"\n| extend variables = Data.Variables\n| extend VariableGroupId = tostring(Data.VariableGroupId)\n| extend UserKey = strcat(VariableGroupId, \"-\", ActorUserId)\n| project UserKey;\nADOAuditLogs\n| where TimeGenerated > ago(timeframe)\n| where OperationName =~ \"Library.VariableGroupModified\"\n| extend VariableGroupName = tostring(Data.VariableGroupName)\n| extend VariableGroupId = tostring(Data.VariableGroupId)\n| extend UserKey = strcat(VariableGroupId, \"-\", ActorUserId)\n| where UserKey !in (historical_data)\n| project-away UserKey\n| project-reorder TimeGenerated, VariableGroupName, ActorUPN, IpAddress, UserAgent\n| extend timestamp = TimeGenerated\n| extend AccountName = tostring(split(ActorUPN, \"@\")[0]), AccountUPNSuffix = tostring(split(ActorUPN, \"@\")[1])\n",
        "queryFrequency": "P1D",
        "queryPeriod": "P14D",
        "severity": "Medium",
        "status": "Available",
        "subTechniques": [],
        "suppressionDuration": "PT1H",
        "suppressionEnabled": false,
        "tactics": [
          "DefenseEvasion"
        ],
        "techniques": [
          "T1578"
        ],
        "templateVersion": "1.0.6",
        "triggerOperator": "GreaterThan",
        "triggerThreshold": 0
      },
      "type": "Microsoft.OperationalInsights/workspaces/providers/alertRules"
    }
  ]
}