Mail Hijacking
Mail hijacking, or email account takeover (ATO), occurs when a malicious actor gains unauthorized access to an individual's or organization's email account. This can happen through various means, such as:
Phishing: Tricking users into revealing their login credentials through deceptive emails or websites.
Brute-force attacks: Repeatedly attempting to guess passwords.
Credential stuffing: Using stolen credentials from other breaches to try accessing email accounts.
Malware: Installing malicious software to capture login information on a victim's device.
Once attackers gain access, they can:
Send spam or phishing emails: Using the compromised account to spread malicious campaigns further.
Commit financial fraud: Sending fraudulent invoices or requests for wire transfers.
Steal sensitive information: Accessing confidential emails or attachments.
Damage reputation: Sending inappropriate or harmful messages on behalf of the victim.
ThreatNG's Role in Combating Mail Hijacking
ThreatNG's capabilities offer a proactive approach to identifying and mitigating mail hijacking risks:
Superior Discovery and Assessment:
BEC & Phishing Susceptibility: Assesses the organization's susceptibility to business email compromise (BEC) scams and phishing attacks, which are common vectors for mail hijacking.
Data Leak Susceptibility: Identifies potential vulnerabilities that could lead to leaked credentials, making email accounts more susceptible to takeover.
Domain Intelligence: Uncovers subdomains or misconfigurations that could be exploited to intercept or redirect emails.
Dark Web Presence: Monitors the dark web for mentions of the organization or its employees, which could indicate compromised credentials or ongoing attacks.
Compromised Credentials: Detects compromised credentials related to the organization or its employees that could be used for mail hijacking.
Social Media: Monitors social media for signs of unauthorized activity on the organization's accounts, which could indicate compromise.
Dark Web Presence: This tool tracks discussions and data leaks on the dark web, potentially revealing stolen credentials or ongoing attacks.
Ransomware Events: This section informs about ransomware attacks, which may involve mail hijacking as a tactic to spread malicious payloads.
Working with Complementary Solutions
ThreatNG complements and integrates with other security solutions to enhance protection against mail hijacking:
Email Security Gateways: These solutions filter incoming and outgoing emails for spam, phishing, and malware.ThreatNG can help prioritize patching vulnerabilities identified by email gateways and assess their effectiveness.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide a second authentication factor, like a code from a mobile app. ThreatNG can help identify accounts that should be prioritized for MFA.
Security Awareness Training: Educating employees about phishing and social engineering techniques helps prevent them from falling victim to scams that lead to mail hijacking. ThreatNG's findings can inform and personalize training programs.
Example: Detecting a Hijacked Email Account
ThreatNG's BEC & Phishing Susceptibility assessment reveals a high risk for the organization's executives.
Continuous Monitoring of compromised credentials detects an executive's credentials leaked on the dark web.
Dark Web Presence monitoring uncovers a discussion about using the leaked credentials to access the executive's email.
ThreatNG alerts the security team, enabling them to promptly secure the executive's account, reset passwords, and investigate any unauthorized activities.
ThreatNG's powerful combination of discovery, assessment, continuous monitoring, and intelligence capabilities offers a proactive approach to combating mail hijacking. By identifying vulnerabilities, detecting leaked credentials, and monitoring suspicious activity, ThreatNG empowers organizations to protect their email accounts, safeguard sensitive information, and prevent reputational damage.
