Account takeovers (ATOs) have long been a concern in the business-to-consumer space, with cybercriminals targeting vulnerable individuals to exploit personal accounts, steal identities, and abuse payment credentials. As consumers become more aware of these risks and strengthen their defences, attackers are shifting their focus to a more lucrative target, business-to-business (B2B) accounts. Unlike personal account breaches, which typically impact a single user, business account takeovers can trigger widespread disruption, compromising entire networks and putting downstream customers at risk.
As these attacks grow in scale and sophistication, businesses must be prepared to defend against them. Understanding how ATOs happen, which accounts are most at risk, and the most effective ways to mitigate them is crucial.
In this blog, we break down the key aspects of account takeovers, from how they unfold to the types of accounts most targeted and share best practices for defending against them.
What Is an Account Takeover (ATO)?
An Account Takeover (ATO) happens when an attacker gains unauthorised access to a legitimate user account, often using stolen credentials or phishing tactics. Once inside, they steal data, conduct fraudulent transactions, or escalate privileges to access more critical systems.
While ATOs have long targeted consumers, businesses are increasingly becoming prime targets. Attackers focus on high-value accounts, such as administrators or executives, to maximise damage.
How an Account Takeover Unfolds
Account takeovers are increasingly common, and in many cases, they don’t require advanced tactics. Weak security practices, such as poor password hygiene, credential reuse, and the lack of multi-factor authentication (MFA), give attackers easy entry points.
Exploiting these weaknesses, attackers rely on well-known techniques like password spraying, phishing, and keylogging. Leaked credentials from past breaches make their job even easier, especially when MFA isn’t in place. Even with MFA in place, MFA fatigue and Token stealing enable attackers to hijack access. Once inside, they can move laterally, escalate privileges, and maintain persistence, often going unnoticed until significant damage has been done.
Which Accounts Are Most at Risk?
Certain types of accounts are particularly vulnerable to takeover attempts, with generic, group, and multi-user accounts emerging as prime targets. These accounts often have outdated passwords, lack regular monitoring, and are frequently shared among multiple users, making them harder to secure.
Administrators often use these accounts for convenience, but their shared nature creates security challenges. Implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) is more complex, and detecting unusual activity becomes difficult when multiple users share the same credentials. Additionally, account recovery can be problematic for service providers, making it harder to restore access after a breach.
How to Protect Against Account Takeovers
Minimising the risk of account takeovers starts with proactive security measures. Here are some practical tips to prevent unauthorised access:
1. Keep Account Security Up to Date
As security threats continue to evolve, staying ahead of emerging risks is essential. Keeping security measures up to date is key to reducing the risk of account takeovers. Regularly updating authentication methods, enforcing strong password policies, and implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA), Conditional Access and Identity Protection controls, help strengthen account protection and prevent unauthorised access.
2. Stay Vigilant During High-Risk Periods
Attackers often exploit weak security and periods of reduced vigilance, such as holidays or major business transitions, when account monitoring is less frequent. During these high-risk times, regularly reviewing login activity, enabling security alerts, and enforcing strict authentication policies are essential to detecting and preventing ATO attempts before they cause any damage.
3. Adopt an Authentication App for Future-Proof MFA
Using an authentication app provides a more secure and flexible alternative to traditional MFA methods, such as one-time codes sent via email or SMS. These older methods are more susceptible to phishing, interception, and credential theft. Authentication apps enhance security by supporting modern authentication protocols, reducing reliance on easily compromised credentials, and enabling a smoother transition to future security advancements. Incorporating other methods of authentication such as Conditional Access and Windows Hello for Business further reduce risk.
How CWSI Can Help
Protecting against account takeovers requires a proactive, layered approach to security. At CWSI, we help organisations strengthen their defences by implementing modern authentication solutions, enforcing strong access controls, and reducing exposure to credential-based threats.
If you’d like to learn more about how we can help protect your organisation against account takeovers, get in touch via the button below, and one of our specialists will be in touch.
