Okta - Suspicious activity remediation

Entities: User Log type: Okta

Playbook Description

This playbook is triggered when a user reports unauthorized activity in Okta. It immediately responds by terminating active sessions, blocking the attacker's IP, and requiring a mandatory password reset. The playbook further secures the account by deleting any MFA factors added by the intruder, ensuring the security team receives instant notification for further investigation.

MITRE ATT&CK mapping

Tactics Techniques Sub-techniques
Persistence (TA0003) Modify Authentication Process (T1556) Multi-Factor Authentication (T1556.006)

MITRE D3FEND mapping

Tactics Techniques Sub-techniques
Eviction (D3-Evict) D3-PE Session Termination (D3-ST)

Playbook input type

Alert

Prerequisites

API access with below scopes:

  • okta.users.manage
  • okta.networkZones.read,
  • okta.networkZones.manage
  • okta.policies.manage
  • okta.users.read

Dependencies

Extensions - Okta

  • okta_endUserSession
  • okta_resetPassword
  • okta_listFactor
  • okta_unenrollFactor

Utility functions

  • okta_getFactorsByEnrolledTime
  • utility_validateResponses

Connections

  • Okta configuration - Okta connection – Need to connect Okta using API Key.

Sub playbooks

Okta - Block IP or ASN

Execution workflow

  • Revokes the session to immediately terminate any active unauthorized access.
  • Blocks the malicious IP to prevent further communication from attacker-controlled sources.
  • Enforces Okta account reset password to ensure credential security and block sign-in until the user completes the reset process.
  • In case of Authenticator Enrollment:
    • Fetches the attacker-enrolled factor
    • Unenrolls the fetched factor to revoke the attacker's access via the compromised MFA method.
Execution Workflow
Figure: Execution workflow of the playbook

Post execution procedure

  • Audit password policies: Ensure strong password policies are in place to reduce the chance of brute force success before a lockout.
  • Enable MFA challenge after lockout: Enforce MFA challenge on first login post-unlock to verify user identity and prevent automated re-use of credentials.
  • Handling false positives: If this alert is confirmed as a false positive, revert all associated remediation steps.
    • Unsuspend users.
    • Unblock non malicious IPs.