The rule 'Cisco Duo Policy Deny Access' is designed to detect when a Duo administrator creates or updates a policy that explicitly denies user access within the Cisco Duo environment. The detection logic relies on analyzing Duo administrator activity logs for actions pertaining to policy creation or updates, specifically focusing on instances where the authentication status is marked as 'Deny access.' This insightful monitoring approach highlights potential misuse or malicious alterations of access policies, serving as a crucial component for Security Operations Centers (SOCs) to oversee. Unauthorized denial of access actions may suggest insider threats, compromised accounts, or attempts to hinder legitimate access to resources. The implications of such activities can lead to denial of service for critical accounts, disruptions in business operations, or obfuscation of further malicious activity. By enabling early detection of these events, organizations can initiate prompt investigations and appropriate remediation efforts, preserving security and operational availability.