---
title: Newly Observed Palo Alto Network Alert
description: This rule detects Palo Alto Network alerts that are observed for the first time in the previous 5 days of alert history. Analysts can use this to prioritize...
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3016/reference/security/prebuilt-rules/rules/cross-platform/newly_observed_panos_alert
products:
  - Elastic Security
---

# Newly Observed Palo Alto Network Alert
This rule detects Palo Alto Network alerts that are observed for the first time in the previous 5 days of alert history.
Analysts can use this to prioritize triage and response.
**Rule type**: esql
**Rule indices**:
**Rule Severity**: critical
**Risk Score**: 99
**Runs every**: 5m
**Searches indices from**: `now-7205m`
**Maximum alerts per execution**: 100
**References**:
- [[https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/integrations/panw](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/integrations/panw)](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/integrations/panw)

**Tags**:
- Use Case: Threat Detection
- Rule Type: Higher-Order Rule
- Resources: Investigation Guide
- Domain: Network
- Data Source: PAN-OS

**Version**: 2
**Rule authors**:
- Elastic

**Rule license**: Elastic License v2

## Investigation guide


## Triage and analysis


### Investigating Newly Observed Palo Alto Network Alert

This rule surfaces newly observed, low-frequency high severity Palo Alto Network alert within the last 5 days.
Because the alert has not been seen previously for this rule and host, it should be prioritized for validation to determine
whether it represents a true compromise or rare benign activity.

### Investigation Steps

- Identify the source address, affected host and review the associated rule name to understand the behavior that triggered the alert.
- Validate the source address under which the activity occurred and assess whether it aligns with normal behavior.
- Refer to the specific alert details like event.original to get more context.


### False Positive Considerations

- Vulnerability scanners and pentesting.
- Administrative scripts or automation tools can trigger detections when first introduced.
- Development or testing environments may produce one-off behaviors that resemble malicious techniques.


### Response and Remediation

- If the activity is confirmed malicious, isolate the affected host to prevent further execution or lateral movement.
- Terminate malicious processes and remove any dropped files or persistence mechanisms.
- Collect forensic artifacts to understand initial access and execution flow.
- Patch or remediate any vulnerabilities or misconfigurations that enabled the behavior.
- If benign, document the finding and consider tuning or exception handling to reduce future noise.
- Continue monitoring the host and environment for recurrence of the behavior or related alerts.


## Rule Query

```esql
FROM logs-panw.panos-*, filebeat-* metadata _id

// exclude Informational and Low severity levels (4 and 5)
| where event.dataset == "panw.panos" and TO_INTEGER(event.severity) <= 3 and event.action != "flood_detected"

| STATS Esql.alerts_count = count(*),
        Esql.first_time_seen = MIN(@timestamp),
        Esql.distinct_count_src_ip = COUNT_DISTINCT(source.ip),
        Esql.distinct_count_dst_ip = COUNT_DISTINCT(destination.ip),
        src_ip = VALUES(source.ip),
        dst_ip = VALUES(destination.ip),
        url_dom = VALUES(url.domain),
        url_path = VALUES(url.path) by rule.name, event.action, event.type, event.kind, event.severity

// first time seen is within 10m of the rule execution time within last 5 days
| eval Esql.recent = DATE_DIFF("minute", Esql.first_time_seen, now())
| where Esql.recent <= 10 and Esql.alerts_count <= 5 and Esql.distinct_count_src_ip <= 2 and Esql.distinct_count_dst_ip <= 2

// move dynamic fields to ECS quivalent for rule exceptions
| eval source.ip = MV_FIRST(src_ip),
       destination.ip = MV_FIRST(dst_ip),
       url.domain = MV_FIRST(url_dom),
       url.path = MV_FIRST(url_path)
| keep rule.name, event.*, Esql.*, source.ip, destination.ip, url.domain, url.path
```