security: runHuntingQuery

Namespace: microsoft.graph.security

Queries a specified set of event, activity, or entity data supported by Microsoft 365 Defender to proactively look for specific threats in your environment.

This method is for advanced hunting in Microsoft 365 Defender. This method includes a query in Kusto Query Language (KQL). It specifies a data table in the advanced hunting schema and a piped sequence of operators to filter or search that data, and format the query output in specific ways.

Find out more about hunting for threats across devices, emails, apps, and identities. Learn about KQL.

For information on using advanced hunting in the Microsoft 365 Defender portal, see Proactively hunt for threats with advanced hunting in Microsoft 365 Defender.

This API is available in the following national cloud deployments.

Global service	US Government L4	US Government L5 (DOD)	China operated by 21Vianet
✅	✅	✅	❌

Permissions

Choose the permission or permissions marked as least privileged for this API. Use a higher privileged permission or permissions only if your app requires it. For details about delegated and application permissions, see Permission types. To learn more about these permissions, see the permissions reference.

Permission type	Least privileged permissions	Higher privileged permissions
Delegated (work or school account)	ThreatHunting.Read.All	Not available.
Delegated (personal Microsoft account)	Not supported.	Not supported.
Application	ThreatHunting.Read.All	Not available.

HTTP request

POST /security/runHuntingQuery

Request headers

Name	Description
Authorization	Bearer {token}. Required. Learn more about authentication and authorization.
Content-Type	application/json. Required.

Note

If you're using non-ANSI characters in your query, for example to query email subjects with malformed or lookalike characters, use application/json; charset=utf-8 for the Content-Type header.

Request body

In the request body, provide a JSON object for the Query parameter, and optionally include a Timespan parameter.

Parameter	Type	Description	Example
Query	String	Required. The hunting query in Kusto Query Language (KQL). For more information, see KQL quick reference.
Timespan	String	Optional. The interval of time over which to query data, in ISO 8601 format. The default value is 30 days, meaning if no startTime is specified, the query looks back 30 days from now. If a time filter is specified in both the query and the startTime parameter, the shorter time span is applied. For example, if the query has a filter for the last seven days and the startTime is 10 days ago, the query only looks back seven days.

The following examples show the possible formats for the Timepsan parameter:

• Date/Date: "2024-02-01T08:00:00Z/2024-02-15T08:00:00Z" - Start and end dates.
• Duration/endDate: "P30D/2024-02-15T08:00:00Z" - A period before the end date.
• Start/duration: "2024-02-01T08:00:00Z/P30D" - Start date and duration.
• ISO8601 duration: "P30D" - Duration from now backwards.
• Single date/time: "2024-02-01T08:00:00Z" - Start time with end time defaulted to the current time.

Response

If successful, this action returns a 200 OK response code and a huntingQueryResults in the response body.

Examples

Example 1: Query with default timespan

Request

The following example specifies a KQL query and does the following:

• Looks into the DeviceProcessEvents table in the advanced hunting schema.
• Filters on the condition that the powershell.exe process initiates the event.
• Specifies the output of three columns from the same table for each row: Timestamp, FileName, InitiatingProcessFileName.
• Sorts the output by the Timestamp value.
• Limits the output to two records (two rows).

HTTP

POST https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/security/runHuntingQuery

{
    "Query": "DeviceProcessEvents | where InitiatingProcessFileName =~ \"powershell.exe\" | project Timestamp, FileName, InitiatingProcessFileName | order by Timestamp desc | limit 2"
}

C#

// Code snippets are only available for the latest version. Current version is 5.x

// Dependencies
using Microsoft.Graph.Security.MicrosoftGraphSecurityRunHuntingQuery;

var requestBody = new RunHuntingQueryPostRequestBody
{
	Query = "DeviceProcessEvents | where InitiatingProcessFileName =~ \"powershell.exe\" | project Timestamp, FileName, InitiatingProcessFileName | order by Timestamp desc | limit 2",
};

// To initialize your graphClient, see https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/sdks/create-client?from=snippets&tabs=csharp
var result = await graphClient.Security.MicrosoftGraphSecurityRunHuntingQuery.PostAsync(requestBody);

For details about how to add the SDK to your project and create an authProvider instance, see the SDK documentation.

CLI

mgc security microsoft-graph-security-run-hunting-query post

For details about how to add the SDK to your project and create an authProvider instance, see the SDK documentation.

Go

// Code snippets are only available for the latest major version. Current major version is $v1.*

// Dependencies
import (
	  "context"
	  msgraphsdk "github.com/microsoftgraph/msgraph-sdk-go"
	  graphsecurity "github.com/microsoftgraph/msgraph-sdk-go/security"
	  //other-imports
)

requestBody := graphsecurity.NewRunHuntingQueryPostRequestBody()
query := "DeviceProcessEvents | where InitiatingProcessFileName =~ \"powershell.exe\" | project Timestamp, FileName, InitiatingProcessFileName | order by Timestamp desc | limit 2"
requestBody.SetQuery(&query) 

// To initialize your graphClient, see https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/sdks/create-client?from=snippets&tabs=go
microsoftGraphSecurityRunHuntingQuery, err := graphClient.Security().MicrosoftGraphSecurityRunHuntingQuery().Post(context.Background(), requestBody, nil)

For details about how to add the SDK to your project and create an authProvider instance, see the SDK documentation.

Java

// Code snippets are only available for the latest version. Current version is 6.x

GraphServiceClient graphClient = new GraphServiceClient(requestAdapter);

com.microsoft.graph.security.microsoftgraphsecurityrunhuntingquery.RunHuntingQueryPostRequestBody runHuntingQueryPostRequestBody = new com.microsoft.graph.security.microsoftgraphsecurityrunhuntingquery.RunHuntingQueryPostRequestBody();
runHuntingQueryPostRequestBody.setQuery("DeviceProcessEvents | where InitiatingProcessFileName =~ \"powershell.exe\" | project Timestamp, FileName, InitiatingProcessFileName | order by Timestamp desc | limit 2");
var result = graphClient.security().microsoftGraphSecurityRunHuntingQuery().post(runHuntingQueryPostRequestBody);

For details about how to add the SDK to your project and create an authProvider instance, see the SDK documentation.

JavaScript

const options = {
	authProvider,
};

const client = Client.init(options);

const huntingQueryResults = {
    Query: 'DeviceProcessEvents | where InitiatingProcessFileName =~ \"powershell.exe\" | project Timestamp, FileName, InitiatingProcessFileName | order by Timestamp desc | limit 2'
};

await client.api('/security/runHuntingQuery')
	.post(huntingQueryResults);

For details about how to add the SDK to your project and create an authProvider instance, see the SDK documentation.

PHP

<?php
use Microsoft\Graph\GraphServiceClient;
use Microsoft\Graph\Generated\Security\MicrosoftGraphSecurityRunHuntingQuery\RunHuntingQueryPostRequestBody;


$graphServiceClient = new GraphServiceClient($tokenRequestContext, $scopes);

$requestBody = new RunHuntingQueryPostRequestBody();
$requestBody->setQuery('DeviceProcessEvents | where InitiatingProcessFileName =~ \"powershell.exe\" | project Timestamp, FileName, InitiatingProcessFileName | order by Timestamp desc | limit 2');

$result = $graphServiceClient->security()->microsoftGraphSecurityRunHuntingQuery()->post($requestBody)->wait();

For details about how to add the SDK to your project and create an authProvider instance, see the SDK documentation.

PowerShell

Import-Module Microsoft.Graph.Security

$params = @{
	Query = "DeviceProcessEvents | where InitiatingProcessFileName =~ "powershell.exe" | project Timestamp, FileName, InitiatingProcessFileName | order by Timestamp desc | limit 2"
}

Start-MgSecurityHuntingQuery -BodyParameter $params

For details about how to add the SDK to your project and create an authProvider instance, see the SDK documentation.

Python

# Code snippets are only available for the latest version. Current version is 1.x
from msgraph import GraphServiceClient
from msgraph.generated.security.microsoft_graph_security_run_hunting_query.run_hunting_query_post_request_body import RunHuntingQueryPostRequestBody
# To initialize your graph_client, see https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/sdks/create-client?from=snippets&tabs=python
request_body = RunHuntingQueryPostRequestBody(
	query = "DeviceProcessEvents | where InitiatingProcessFileName =~ \"powershell.exe\" | project Timestamp, FileName, InitiatingProcessFileName | order by Timestamp desc | limit 2",
)

result = await graph_client.security.microsoft_graph_security_run_hunting_query.post(request_body)

For details about how to add the SDK to your project and create an authProvider instance, see the SDK documentation.

Response

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-type: application/json

{
    "@odata.context": "https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/$metadata#microsoft.graph.security.huntingQueryResults",
    "schema": [
        {
            "name": "Timestamp",
            "type": "DateTime"
        },
        {
            "name": "FileName",
            "type": "String"
        },
        {
            "name": "InitiatingProcessFileName",
            "type": "String"
        }
    ],
    "results": [
        {
            "Timestamp": "2024-03-26T09:39:50.7688641Z",
            "FileName": "cmd.exe",
            "InitiatingProcessFileName": "powershell.exe"
        },
        {
            "Timestamp": "2024-03-26T09:39:49.4353788Z",
            "FileName": "cmd.exe",
            "InitiatingProcessFileName": "powershell.exe"
        }
    ]
}

Example 2: Query with optional the timespan parameter specified

Request

This example specifies a KQL query and looks into the deviceProcessEvents table in the advanced hunting schema 60 days back.

HTTP

POST https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/security/runHuntingQuery

{
    "Query": "DeviceProcessEvents",
    "Timespan": "P90D"
}

C#

// Code snippets are only available for the latest version. Current version is 5.x

// Dependencies
using Microsoft.Graph.Security.MicrosoftGraphSecurityRunHuntingQuery;

var requestBody = new RunHuntingQueryPostRequestBody
{
	Query = "DeviceProcessEvents",
	Timespan = "P90D",
};

// To initialize your graphClient, see https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/sdks/create-client?from=snippets&tabs=csharp
var result = await graphClient.Security.MicrosoftGraphSecurityRunHuntingQuery.PostAsync(requestBody);

For details about how to add the SDK to your project and create an authProvider instance, see the SDK documentation.

CLI

mgc security microsoft-graph-security-run-hunting-query post

For details about how to add the SDK to your project and create an authProvider instance, see the SDK documentation.

Go

// Code snippets are only available for the latest major version. Current major version is $v1.*

// Dependencies
import (
	  "context"
	  msgraphsdk "github.com/microsoftgraph/msgraph-sdk-go"
	  graphsecurity "github.com/microsoftgraph/msgraph-sdk-go/security"
	  //other-imports
)

requestBody := graphsecurity.NewRunHuntingQueryPostRequestBody()
query := "DeviceProcessEvents"
requestBody.SetQuery(&query) 
timespan := "P90D"
requestBody.SetTimespan(&timespan) 

// To initialize your graphClient, see https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/sdks/create-client?from=snippets&tabs=go
microsoftGraphSecurityRunHuntingQuery, err := graphClient.Security().MicrosoftGraphSecurityRunHuntingQuery().Post(context.Background(), requestBody, nil)

For details about how to add the SDK to your project and create an authProvider instance, see the SDK documentation.

Java

// Code snippets are only available for the latest version. Current version is 6.x

GraphServiceClient graphClient = new GraphServiceClient(requestAdapter);

com.microsoft.graph.security.microsoftgraphsecurityrunhuntingquery.RunHuntingQueryPostRequestBody runHuntingQueryPostRequestBody = new com.microsoft.graph.security.microsoftgraphsecurityrunhuntingquery.RunHuntingQueryPostRequestBody();
runHuntingQueryPostRequestBody.setQuery("DeviceProcessEvents");
runHuntingQueryPostRequestBody.setTimespan("P90D");
var result = graphClient.security().microsoftGraphSecurityRunHuntingQuery().post(runHuntingQueryPostRequestBody);

For details about how to add the SDK to your project and create an authProvider instance, see the SDK documentation.

JavaScript

const options = {
	authProvider,
};

const client = Client.init(options);

const huntingQueryResults = {
    Query: 'DeviceProcessEvents',
    Timespan: 'P90D'
};

await client.api('/security/runHuntingQuery')
	.post(huntingQueryResults);

For details about how to add the SDK to your project and create an authProvider instance, see the SDK documentation.

PHP

<?php
use Microsoft\Graph\GraphServiceClient;
use Microsoft\Graph\Generated\Security\MicrosoftGraphSecurityRunHuntingQuery\RunHuntingQueryPostRequestBody;


$graphServiceClient = new GraphServiceClient($tokenRequestContext, $scopes);

$requestBody = new RunHuntingQueryPostRequestBody();
$requestBody->setQuery('DeviceProcessEvents');
$requestBody->setTimespan('P90D');

$result = $graphServiceClient->security()->microsoftGraphSecurityRunHuntingQuery()->post($requestBody)->wait();

For details about how to add the SDK to your project and create an authProvider instance, see the SDK documentation.

PowerShell

Import-Module Microsoft.Graph.Security

$params = @{
	Query = "DeviceProcessEvents"
	Timespan = "P90D"
}

Start-MgSecurityHuntingQuery -BodyParameter $params

For details about how to add the SDK to your project and create an authProvider instance, see the SDK documentation.

Python

# Code snippets are only available for the latest version. Current version is 1.x
from msgraph import GraphServiceClient
from msgraph.generated.security.microsoft_graph_security_run_hunting_query.run_hunting_query_post_request_body import RunHuntingQueryPostRequestBody
# To initialize your graph_client, see https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/sdks/create-client?from=snippets&tabs=python
request_body = RunHuntingQueryPostRequestBody(
	query = "DeviceProcessEvents",
	timespan = "P90D",
)

result = await graph_client.security.microsoft_graph_security_run_hunting_query.post(request_body)

For details about how to add the SDK to your project and create an authProvider instance, see the SDK documentation.

Response

Note: The response object shown here might be shortened for readability.

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-type: application/json

{
    "schema": [
        {
            "name": "Timestamp",
            "type": "DateTime"
        },
        {
            "name": "FileName",
            "type": "String"
        },
        {
            "name": "InitiatingProcessFileName",
            "type": "String"
        }
    ],
    "results": [
        {
            "timestamp": "2020-08-30T06:38:35.7664356Z",
            "fileName": "conhost.exe",
            "initiatingProcessFileName": "powershell.exe"
        },
        {
            "timestamp": "2020-08-30T06:38:30.5163363Z",
            "fileName": "conhost.exe",
            "initiatingProcessFileName": "powershell.exe"
        }
    ]
}