Mail Forwarding/Redirecting Activity In O365

Detects email forwarding or redirecting activity in O365 Audit logs.

title: Mail Forwarding/Redirecting Activity In O365
id: c726e007-2cd0-4a55-abfb-79730fbedee5
status: test
description: Detects email forwarding or redirecting activity in O365 Audit logs.
references:
    - https://redcanary.com/blog/email-forwarding-rules/
    - https://github.com/PwC-IR/Business-Email-Compromise-Guide/blob/fe29ce06aef842efe4eb448c26bbe822bf5b895d/PwC-Business_Email_Compromise-Guide.pdf
author: RedCanary Team (idea), Harjot Singh @cyb3rjy0t
date: 2023-10-11
modified: 2024-11-17
tags:
    - attack.collection
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1114.003
    - attack.t1564.008
    - attack.exfiltration
    - attack.t1020
    - detection.threat-hunting
logsource:
    service: audit
    product: m365
    definition: "Requirements: The 'OperationProperties' and 'Parameters' fields are a list of dict. A correct mapping to the 'Value' field inside is recommended to avoid greedy search"
detection:
    # Note: Might require seperation in the future when enough data is gatherd
    selection_updateinbox:
        Operation|contains: 'UpdateInboxRules'
        OperationProperties|contains:
            - 'Forward'
            - 'Recipients'
    selection_setmailbox:
        Operation|contains: 'Set-Mailbox'
        Parameters|contains:
            - 'ForwardingSmtpAddress'
            - 'ForwardingAddress'
    selection_setinbox:
        Operation|contains:
            - 'New-InboxRule'
            - 'Set-InboxRule'
        Parameters|contains:
            - 'ForwardAsAttachmentTo'
            - 'ForwardingAddress'
            - 'ForwardingSmtpAddress'
            - 'ForwardTo'
            - 'RedirectTo'
            - 'RedirectToRecipients'
    condition: 1 of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - False positives are expected from legitimate mail forwarding rules. You need organisation specific knowledge. Filter out the domains that are allowed as forwarding targets as well as any additional metadata that you can use for exclusion from trusted sources/targets in order to promote this to a potential detection rule.
level: medium

• T1020Automated Exfiltration
• T1114.003Email Forwarding Rule
• T1564.008Email Hiding Rules

• https://redcanary.com/blog/email-forwarding-rules/↗
• https://github.com/PwC-IR/Business-Email-Compromise-Guide/blob/fe29ce06aef842efe4eb448c26bbe822bf5b895d/PwC-Business_Email_Compromise-Guide.pdf↗