GitHub Repo

Detection: Okta New API Token Created

Updated Date: 2026-02-25 ID: c3d22720-35d3-4da4-bd0a-740d37192bd4 Author: Michael Haag, Mauricio Velazco, Splunk Type: TTP Product: Splunk Enterprise Security

Description

The following analytic detects the creation of a new API token within an Okta tenant. It uses OktaIm2 logs ingested via the Splunk Add-on for Okta Identity Cloud to identify events where the system.api_token.create command is executed. This activity is significant because creating a new API token can indicate potential account takeover attempts or unauthorized access, allowing an adversary to maintain persistence. If confirmed malicious, this could enable attackers to execute API calls, access sensitive data, and perform administrative actions within the Okta environment.

 1
 2| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count max(_time) as lastTime, min(_time) as firstTime FROM datamodel=Change
 3  WHERE All_Changes.action=created
 4    AND
 5    All_Changes.command=system.api_token.create
 6  BY _time span=5m All_Changes.user
 7     All_Changes.result All_Changes.command sourcetype
 8     All_Changes.src All_Changes.action All_Changes.object_category
 9     All_Changes.dest
10
11| `drop_dm_object_name("All_Changes")`
12
13| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
14
15| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
16
17| `okta_new_api_token_created_filter`

Data Source

Name Platform Sourcetype Source
Okta Other 'OktaIM2:log' 'Okta'

Macros Used

Name Value
security_content_ctime convert timeformat="%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S" ctime($field$)
okta_new_api_token_created_filter search *
okta_new_api_token_created_filter is an empty macro by default. It allows the user to filter out any results (false positives) without editing the SPL.

Annotations

- MITRE ATT&CK
+ Kill Chain Phases
+ NIST
+ CIS
- Threat Actors
ID Technique Tactic
T1078.001 Default Accounts Defense Evasion
Delivery
Exploitation
Installation
DE.CM
CIS 10

Default Configuration

This detection is configured by default in Splunk Enterprise Security to run with the following settings:

Setting Value
Disabled true
Cron Schedule 0 * * * *
Earliest Time -70m@m
Latest Time -10m@m
Schedule Window auto
Creates Notable Yes
Rule Title %name%
Rule Description %description%
Notable Event Fields user, dest
Creates Risk Event True
This configuration file applies to all detections of type TTP. These detections will use Risk Based Alerting and generate Notable Events.

Implementation

The analytic leverages Okta OktaIm2 logs to be ingested using the Splunk Add-on for Okta Identity Cloud (https://splunkbase.splunk.com/app/6553).

Known False Positives

False positives may be present. Tune Okta and tune the analytic to ensure proper fidelity. Modify risk score as needed.

Associated Analytic Story

Risk Based Analytics (RBA)

Risk Message:

A new API token was created in Okta by [$user$]. Investigate further to determine if this was authorized.

Risk Object Risk Object Type Risk Score Threat Objects
user user 64 No Threat Objects

References

Detection Testing

Test Type Status Dataset Source Sourcetype
Validation ✅ Passing N/A N/A N/A
Unit ✅ Passing Dataset Okta OktaIM2:log
Integration ✅ Passing Dataset Okta OktaIM2:log

Replay any dataset to Splunk Enterprise by using our replay.py tool or the UI. Alternatively you can replay a dataset into a Splunk Attack Range

Source: GitHub | Version: 11