Posture check · Workload and agent identity
Credentials on a Microsoft first-party service principal (T1098.001)
A credential was added in your tenant to the service principal of an app Microsoft publishes.
Why it matters
Attackers add a credential to a Microsoft app's service principal to sign in as that app, which blends in with Microsoft's own traffic.
How GraphnAI finds it
It runs after every sync, on each connected domain or tenant on its own. It applies to Microsoft Entra ID.
It reads:
- The directory attributes
servicePrincipalType,keyCredentials,passwordCredentials,credentialsInheritedFromApp,appOwnerOrganizationId,appOwnerClassandverifiedPublisher - 4 more GraphnAI analyses
Tiered Fidelity™ level: Theoretical
Every finding from this check carries the Theoretical level.
- TheoreticalThis checkConfigured in the directory. Nothing else checked.
- ConstrainedA constraint on it has been checked.
- ValidatedTelemetry has seen it in use.
Why there's no automatic fix
Removing a service principal's credential, or disabling the service principal, is done in Microsoft Entra.
How to fix it
Microsoft apps rarely need a credential added in your tenant, and attackers add one to sign in as the app. Find out who added this credential and when, then remove it.
Related checks
MITRE ATT&CK® technique names and MITRE D3FEND™ technique labels: © The MITRE Corporation. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of The MITRE Corporation. ATT&CK® is a registered trademark and D3FEND™ a trademark of The MITRE Corporation.
See it on your own directory.
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