Understanding and Preventing Account Takeover Attacks
In the digital fortress of modern business, email security is the gatekeeper. As cybercriminals evolve, so does the sophistication of their capabilities, particularly with Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks. At LeewardCloud, we recognize the critical need for robust defenses against such threats. Today, we're exploring the insidious world of account takeover—a prevalent method within BEC attacks—and how to protect your business.
The Anatomy of Account Takeover
Account takeover (ATO) is not just about phishing emails. It's a multifaceted threat that can arise from large-scale data breaches, such as those at Yahoo or LinkedIn, where personal information and passwords are traded among hackers. Even seemingly innocuous details like a street address or mother's maiden name can be the keys to your digital kingdom.
ATO Tactics Include:
Updating Payroll Information: Hackers posing as employees - internal & external - redirecting payroll deposits.
Invoice Hijacking: Interjecting into legitimate conversations and redirecting payments.
Creating Stealthy Inbox Rules: To hide their tracks and continue operations unnoticed.
New Payment Requests: From compromised trusted accounts to fraudulent third parties.
Targets of business email compromise
Anyone can be the target of a BEC scam. Businesses, governments, nonprofits, and schools are all targeted, specifically these roles:
Executives and leaders, because details about them are often publicly available on the company website, so attackers can pretend to know them.
Finance employees like controllers and accounts payable staff who have banking details, payment methods, and account numbers.
HR managers with employee records like social security numbers, tax statements, contact info, and schedules.
New or entry-level employees who won’t be able to verify an email’s legitimacy with the sender.
LeewardCloud's Advanced Defense
Our AI-powered security layer for your Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 email service is designed with laser focus to detect and prevent ATO attacks in real-time.
Anomaly Detection: The service identifies unusual email activity that could signal an ATO attempt. This includes sudden changes in login locations, times, or patterns that deviate from the user's norm.
Contextual Analysis: Understanding the context of user behavior is crucial. Our technology examines typical user actions to spot out-of-the-ordinary requests, such as a sudden change in bank details or an unexpected invoice approval.
Real-Time Response: Upon detecting a suspicious activity the system acts swiftly to quarantine the email, preventing the attacker from causing further damage. This immediate response is vital in mitigating the risk of financial and reputational loss.
Monitoring for Account Takeover: Beyond the Basics
While these cybersecurity measures are robust, they are part of a broader strategy that includes monitoring for signs of ATO, such as:
Failed Login Attempts: A high number of failed logins can indicate a brute force attack.
User Analytics: Deviations from established user behavior patterns may signal account compromise.
Insecure Configurations: Cybercriminals often disable security controls or set up unusual configurations like mail forwarding, which can be a red flag.
LeewardCloud's Email & Collaboration cybersecurity services leverage machine learning algorithms trained to distinguish between legitimate user behavior and potential ATO incidents, minimizing false positives and enabling real-time, automated remediation.
Conclusion
Account takeover is a complex challenge, but our advanced detection and response capabilities, powered by machine learning and real-time analytics, provide a formidable barrier against the most cunning of cyber threats.
Don't let your business be the next victim of account takeover. Contact LeewardCloud today to secure your email communications and safeguard your enterprise's future.
Comments