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Phishing , in which an attacker sends a deceptive email tricks the recipient into giving up information or downloading a file, is a decades-old practice that still is responsible for innumerable IT headaches. The fight against phishing is a frustrating one, and it falls squarely onto IT's shoulders.
Whether it’s advanced phishing techniques, credential stuffing, or even credentials compromised through social engineering or breaches of a third-party service, credentials are easily the most vulnerable point in defending corporate systems. Get the latest from CSO by signing up for our newsletters. ]
Credential stuffing is the automated use of collected usernames and passwords to gain fraudulent access to user accounts. These credentials fuel the underground economy and are used for everything from spam to phishing and account takeovers. Check out the password hall of shame (and 10 tips for better password security). |
Authentication-related attacks grew in 2022, taking advantage of outdated, password-based authentication systems, according to a study commissioned by HYPR, a passwordless multifactor authentication (MFA) provider based in the US. To read this article in full, please click here
In his career, he has seen people pick up and use dropped thumb drives, give up passwords over the phone and, yes, even click on simulated phishing links. Sign up for CSO newsletters. ]. He has also seen the real-world consequences of such actions.
Whether its a mis-click on a phishing email, poor password management, acting on a deepfake, or a misconfiguration, human error accounts for most breaches. But just like the coffee drinker who bypasses their local shop, our focus on technology often distracts us from whats most important.
Every business needs a secure way to collect, manage, and authenticate passwords. Storing passwords in the browser and sending one-time access codes by SMS or authenticator apps can be bypassed by phishing. Unfortunately, no method is foolproof. To read this article in full, please click here
Hackers used a compromised password to access the company network via a virtual private network in the May 2021 Colonial Pipeline attack. And a bitcoin scam on Twitter started with spear phishing attacks on Twitter employees. Some of the biggest breaches have come down to small mistakes.
They just need one victim to succumb to a phishing lure to enter your network. Phishing ( in all its forms ) is just one of many attacks that can leverage a poorly protected email infrastructure. Email remains the soft underbelly of enterprise security because it is the most tempting target for hackers.
“It took nearly 11 months (328 days) to identity and contain data breaches resulting from stolen or compromised credentials.” – IBM’s Cost of Data Breach Report 2023 I recently came across a 2012 article from CSO Online , and realized that it has been more than 11 years since the phrase “Identity is the new perimeter” was coined!
Employees are often warned about the data exposure risks associated with the likes of phishing emails, credential theft, and using weak passwords. However, they can risk leaking or exposing sensitive information about themselves, the work they do, or their organization without even realizing.
don’t have MFA, making them vulnerable to password spray, phishing and password reuse. Microsoft will soon change the mandate to multi-factor authentication (MFA) with changes to Microsoft 365 defaults. As Microsoft points out, “When we look at hacked accounts, more than 99.9%
On November 30, 2022, password manager LastPass informed customers of a cybersecurity incident following unusual activity within a third-party cloud storage service. While LastPass claims that users’ passwords remain safely encrypted, it admitted that certain elements of customers’ information have been exposed.
The password had been found on the dark web rather than obtained via phishing , implying that it had been leaked or reused by a Colonial employee. Every time I read about another attack, I am always interested in how the attackers gained initial access into the network.
By Amanda Fennell, CSO and CIO, Relativity. While exploring phishing examples and best tools to manage passwords, offer to dive into how tools actually work. Think about password management. Security professionals can step in and offer the ability, or capability, piece—the tool, a password manager—and show how to use it.
Phishing attacks are the most common source of cybersecurity breaches in business today, and employee credentials are a top target for these malicious actors. A correct user name and password combination is often all that stands between a cybercriminal and a company’s valuable intellectual property.
Don’t make passwords easy to guess. Social-Engineer, LLC saw an almost 350% increase in recognition of phishing emails when using a similar training platform in 2020. Typically, corporate networks are equipped with firewalls, a Chief Security Officer (CSO), and a whole cybersecurity department to keep them safe.
In an article on Okta’s website , CSO David Bradbury provided a timeline of the incidents which took place in January. Brute-force attacks against RDP are common , as is phishing, but LAPSU$ is also known to bribe insiders for access. Change the privileged Okta passwords. Okta’s statement. Wait for more information.
This breach, like every major ransomware attack, was likely because of spear phishing, where someone either received the malware via an emailed attachment or clicked on a link that took them to a website that hosted it. They had super weak, easily guessable passwords, which was visible to anyone who looked.
For example: passwords being typed or posted, specific motions or commands used to activate control systems to open or unlock doors, etc.”. At the very least, there should have been some form of multi-factor authentication or password vault to protect the [server] account. Look at the Mac operating system.
According to researchers with the Synopsys Cybersecurity Research Center (CyRC), the flaws allow a user with low privileges to access sensitive data that can be used to perform a password reset for a higher privileged account, such as the administrator. To read this article in full, please click here
However, adopting more secure forms of MFA, such as phishing-resistant MFA, further enhances protections. Recognizing that MFA is the greatest defense against password-based attacks such as credential stuffing and password theft, we pledge to phase out SMS-based MFA, which, while useful, does not offer the highest level of protection.
We had a recent roll out of a password manager, for example. One of the biggest issues is phishing, like it is with most people, and it's not going to stop, so we thought strategy wise, that was the first place to start.". This led Sherry's team to launch the virtual phish bowl where they raised awareness and communicated the risks. "At
Social engineering attacks , including phishing, spam, and viruses introduced via clickable links within e-mail affected 80% of the banking institutions in 2016. VoIP phishing and impersonation also victimized millions of corporate employees across the world , contributing to an even greater cyber threat.
Normally account take overs are due to insecure passwords or recovery options, this is definitely something different. Behold the tale of kid who reuses their passwords & ends up pwn'd, then learns how to stay safe. We're on a mission to encourage unique passwords stored in a password manager with MFA on.
For many years, multi-factor authentication has been a key approach to mitigating the risks associated with password usage. Government Towards Zero Trust Cybersecurity Principles ,” that has made significant progress raising awareness about the need for phish resistance in combination with MFA usage.
Instead of arguing about MFA strength, VPN vendor, or nation-state treat actors, let’s finish our conversation about using dedicated administrator accounts and unique passwords. Richard Bird , CSO, Traceable AI Bird The bad guys are showing no restraint in exploiting API security weakness to their advantage.
Sophisticated social engineering tactics, phishing campaigns, or financial incentives make it easier for cybercriminals to use insiders as tools for gaining access and maintaining their foothold in systems rather than hacking in. Cyber threats often exploit human errors, whether through phishing attacks, weak passwords, or lapses in protocol.
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