Account takeovers (or ATO for short) pose severe cybersecurity risks now. Attackers employ various techniques to improperly access and control user accounts, enabling data and money theft. Such attacks can cause significant harm to both individuals and organizations, as sensitive corporate information can be easily accessed through business accounts.
In this article, we will explain what ATO attacks are and what steps to take to prevent them. You will also learn what to do if intruders do manage to gain access to your profile.
Account takeovers: what is it?
Account takeover attack means gaining unauthorized entry to a customer’s profile and further unlawful actions in it: stealing money, making purchases, viewing/distributing personal info.
These attacks can be performed in a variety of ways: brute force, user fraud, spyware, phishing, and account spoofing. Consider more details about these methods.
How are credentials being stolen?
As we mentioned above, ATO attacks can be carried out in many different ways:
Brute-force method. The criminal consistently tries to pick the password of the account until it is correct.
User fraud. Under various pretexts, the intruder tries to lure the account user out of his login details.
Spyware. This software remembers which keys the user presses or steals private info.
Phishing. It consists in sending supposedly real messages and emails from the company, which are actually fake and contain a link that will steal account data and other information about the owner.
Data spoofing. The criminal uses information stolen in previous attacks to log into accounts with similar or identical data.
How to understand that an ATO is happening?
Various methods are used to understand that an attack with account takeover is occurring — behavior analysis, devices fingerprints, tracking of accounts and activity in them, authentication in several stages — 2-factor authentication being the most common. Let’s talk about the signals, when you spot them you should start worrying about account security:
- A request for personal information or account settings made by someone other than you
- Strange emails sent to your email account; messages from strangers or previously unknown company employees.
- Atypical activity within the account
- Changes to account settings that you did not make
How can I prevent an ATO?
In order to protect your account from ATO attacks and other illegal activities, it’s important to be proactive and take certain steps to protect your account beforehand:
When coming up with a password, create complex combinations of letters of different registers, symbols and numbers. You should change passwords periodically. You can use a password manager so that you don’t have to remember them every time.
You should not use the same email address in different accounts — create a new email for each profile. Avoid using the one e-mail for several accounts, because if it is compromised, all of them will be at risk.
Also, configure multi-step authentication, utilize an encryption method to safeguard your devices and network, and update your software regularly. Keep an eye on your profile activity — call security support if you see any suspicious activity.
What should I do if an attack does occur?
If your account has been hijacked, there is no need to panic. It is important to take action as soon as possible to prevent the consequences:
- Change your password immediately
- Check which devices have access to your account and remove the ones you don’t use from the list
- Look in your account settings for activity details to see if any actions have been taken by someone other than yourself
- If you haven’t configured 2-factor authentication, turn it on; if you already have it, reset it and set it up again
- Contact technical support and tell them in detail what happened
- If necessary, temporarily block your account to prevent theft of funds — for example, if your bank card is linked to it
- Set up notifications for unusual activity on your account (such as logging in from a non-standard address)
- Don’t forget to update — with each new update the developers take into account possible technical backdoors through which your account could be attacked
So, now you know the risks of account takeovers and what actions you need to take to protect yourself. Don’t panic in case of an ATO attack and use our guide. Be careful about your cybersecurity and take measures to protect your personal data in advance.
