Sigma rule: Multi Factor Authentication Disabled For User Account

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-50df23efaa67, updated 2024-08-21T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Multi Factor Authentication Disabled For User Account
Status
test
Level
medium
Author
Harjot Singh (@cyb3rjy0t)
Date
2024-08-21
File
rules/cloud/azure/audit_logs/azure_user_account_mfa_disable.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects changes to the "StrongAuthenticationRequirement" value, where the state is set to "0" or "Disabled".
Threat actors were seen disabling multi factor authentication for users in order to maintain or achieve access to the account. Also see in SIM Swap attacks.

Log source

product
azure
service
auditlogs
definition
Requirements: The TargetResources array needs to be mapped accurately in order for this rule to work

Detection

selection:
    LoggedByService: 'Core Directory'
    Category: 'UserManagement'
    OperationName: 'Update user'
    TargetResources.ModifiedProperties.DisplayName: 'StrongAuthenticationRequirement'
    TargetResources.ModifiedProperties.NewValue|contains: "State\":0"
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Legitimate authorized activity.

Tags

  • attack.credential-access
  • attack.persistence

References

Read on 2026-11-03T00:58:21.399Z under licence sigma-drl-1.1@d5f4c36a from https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/cloud/azure/audit_logs/azure_user_account_mfa_disable.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Multi Factor Authentication Disabled For User Account" by Harjot Singh (@cyb3rjy0t) (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/cloud/azure/audit_logs/azure_user_account_mfa_disable.yml.
    Licensed under the Detection Rule License (DRL) 1.1: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/Detection-Rule-License

    Detection Rule License (DRL) 1.1

Cite this page

Dragons Eye Ransomware Tracker, "Sigma rule: Multi Factor Authentication Disabled For User Account",
entity page, dataset version ref-50df23efaa67, updated 2024-08-21T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/b18454c8-0be3-41f7-86bc-9c614611b839 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule b18454c8-0be3-41f7-86bc-9c614611b839, commit ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84.

Pages change. The dataset version identifies the data, but no archive of old versions is kept, so this citation cannot be replayed later.