Description
Adversaries may register a device to an adversary-controlled account. Devices may be registered in a multifactor authentication (MFA) system, which handles authentication to the network, or in a device management system, which handles device access and compliance.
MFA systems, such as Duo or Okta, allow users to associate devices with their accounts in order to complete MFA requirements. An adversary that compromises a user’s credentials may enroll a new device in order to bypass initial MFA requirements and gain persistent access to a network.(Citation: CISA MFA PrintNightmare)(Citation: DarkReading FireEye SolarWinds) In some cases, the MFA self-enrollment process may require only a username and password to enroll the account's first device or to enroll a device to an inactive account. (Citation: Mandiant APT29 Microsoft 365 2022)
Similarly, an adversary with existing access to a network may register a device or a virtual machine to Entra ID and/or its device management system, Microsoft Intune, in order to access sensitive data or resources while bypassing conditional access policies.(Citation: AADInternals - Device Registration)(Citation: AADInternals - Conditional Access Bypass)(Citation: Microsoft DEV-0537)(Citation: Expel Atlas Lion 2025)
Devices registered in Entra ID may be able to conduct Internal Spearphishing campaigns via intra-organizational emails, which are less likely to be treated as suspicious by the email client.(Citation: Microsoft - Device Registration) Additionally, an adversary may be able to perform a Service Exhaustion Flood on an Entra ID tenant by registering a large number of devices.(Citation: AADInternals - BPRT)
Platforms
Mitigations (1)
Multi-factor AuthenticationM1032
Require multi-factor authentication to register devices in Entra ID.(Citation: Microsoft - Device Registration) Configure multi-factor authentication systems to disallow enrolling new devices for inactive accounts.(Citation: CISA MFA PrintNightmare) When first enrolling MFA, use conditional access policies to restrict device enrollment to trusted locations or devices, and consider using temporary
Threat Groups (1)
| ID | Group | Context |
|---|---|---|
| G0016 | APT29 | [APT29](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0016) has enrolled their own devices into compromised cloud tenants, including enrolling a device in MFA to a... |
Associated Software (1)
| ID | Name | Type | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| S0677 | AADInternals | Tool | [AADInternals](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0677) can register a device to Azure AD.(Citation: AADInternals Documentation) |
References
- Ben Nahorney and Jennifer Maynard. (2025, April 10). Observing Atlas Lion (part one): Why take control when you can enroll?. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. (2022, March 15). Russian State-Sponsored Cyber Actors Gain Network Access by Exploiting Default Multifactor Authentication Protocols and “PrintNightmare” Vulnerability. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
- Douglas Bienstock. (2022, August 18). You Can’t Audit Me: APT29 Continues Targeting Microsoft 365. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
- Dr. Nestori Syynimaa. (2020, September 6). Bypassing conditional access by faking device compliance. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
- Dr. Nestori Syynimaa. (2021, January 31). BPRT unleashed: Joining multiple devices to Azure AD and Intune. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
- Dr. Nestori Syynimaa. (2021, March 3). Deep-dive to Azure AD device join. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
- Kelly Jackson Higgins. (2021, January 7). FireEye's Mandia: 'Severity-Zero Alert' Led to Discovery of SolarWinds Attack. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
- Microsoft 365 Defender Threat Intelligence Team. (2022, January 26). Evolved phishing: Device registration trick adds to phishers’ toolbox for victims without MFA. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
- Microsoft. (2022, March 22). DEV-0537 criminal actor targeting organizations for data exfiltration and destruction. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is T1098.005 (Device Registration)?
T1098.005 is a MITRE ATT&CK technique named 'Device Registration'. It belongs to the Persistence, Privilege Escalation tactic(s). Adversaries may register a device to an adversary-controlled account. Devices may be registered in a multifactor authentication (MFA) system, which handles authentication to the network, or in a devic...
How can T1098.005 be detected?
Detection of T1098.005 (Device Registration) typically involves monitoring system logs, network traffic, and endpoint telemetry. Use SIEM rules, EDR solutions, and behavioral analytics to identify suspicious activity associated with this technique.
What mitigations exist for T1098.005?
There are 1 documented mitigations for T1098.005. Key mitigations include: Multi-factor Authentication.
Which threat groups use T1098.005?
Known threat groups using T1098.005 include: APT29.