Account Takeover is a type of cyberattack where hackers steal a victim’s email login credentials to impersonate them. This identity theft can be used for simple spam campaigns or more advanced scams, such as altering financial information to divert money into the attacker’s bank account.
How Does It Work?
Account Takeover attacks have been a persistent threat for years. Hackers aim to steal a victim’s login credentials to either exploit them directly or sell them on the dark web. These attacks target your email accounts by stealing or guessing your passwords through various means, including:
•Infecting devices with malware like Trojans.
•Launching brute-force attacks with botnets.
•Phishing to trick users into handing over their credentials.
•Using stolen passwords from past data breaches, hoping victims use the same password across platforms.
•Studying victims on social media or other public sources to guess passwords.
Some attacks are more dangerous than others. The most concerning type is when hackers specifically target users with access to financial operations, attempting to divert funds through scams like the “fake CEO” email fraud.
How to Protect Yourself
Preventing Account Takeover requires addressing two key aspects: the human factor and the technological factor.
Human Factor
Employees must be trained to recognize suspicious activity, such as receiving unexpected requests for urgent bank transfers. Even if the email appears to come from someone trusted, like a CEO, it’s important to verify unusual requests through other means.
Strong password practices are essential. Avoid using simple passwords or reusing them across multiple services. Encourage the use of unique, complex passwords and password managers.
Technological Factor
To defend against cyberattacks, companies must implement up-to-date security measures. This includes:
•Enforcing two-factor authentication for account access.
•Restricting access to administrative tools from trusted IP addresses only.
•Protecting workstations and mobile devices with antivirus software.
•Using a Next-Generation Firewall that analyzes network traffic for potential risks beyond basic port control.
The more layers of protection a company adopts, the harder it becomes for attackers to succeed. Additionally, businesses must choose external service providers, like web hosts and email providers, who take cybersecurity seriously.
How Revive Email’s Account Takeover Protection Works
Revive Email’s business email management platform includes built-in Account Takeover Protection. Our system continuously monitors Webmail access and user activity for any signs of abnormal behavior, such as unusual login times or locations, high-volume email sending, or suspicious attachments. When such activity is detected, our system triggers an alert.
If hackers attempt to set up a forwarding address to spy on emails, the system immediately notifies both the user and their manager, blocking the action and preventing further compromise.
Revive Email also allows you to manage security settings in real-time through our control panel. Our tools, such as ETlive, provide live analysis of email traffic, enabling the implementation of additional security measures like two-factor authentication, preventing password reuse, and restricting access through trusted IPs or VPNs.
This revised version emphasizes Revive Email’s proactive security approach while maintaining a professional tone consistent with the brand.