Two-factor Authentication Phishing Scam
Have you tried to log into an account of yours, such as your insurance or financial institution, and been told to confirm your identity in order to keep your credentials safe? You then receive a code either via text or email which is required for you to enter. Also known as 2FA, this SMS multi-step process has been the trusted security step to protect your accounts … until recently.
Unfortunately, there is an automated phishing attack on 2FA, which utilizes two tools: Muraena and NecroBrowser. Reported by Fortune, “The two tools work together like the perfect crime duo. Think of Muraena as the clever bank robber and NecroBrowser as the getaway driver.”
The attack was first demonstrated at the Hack in the Box Security Conference in Amsterdam last month. A video of the presentation was posted on YouTube on June 2nd bringing renewed attention to how hackers are getting better at penetrating extra layers of security, despite people using stronger tools, like 2FA.
So, what do you do? Do you still want to utilize SMS-based 2FA for your accounts? For the most part, the answer is yes.
Think of it like this. Say you want to put a lock on your front door to protect your home. Security professionals are arguing that the best type of lock available is way better than cheaper locks. Sure, makes sense. But if that more expensive lock isn’t available to you, isn’t having a cheaper lock still better than not having a lock at all?
As discussed on How-to-Geek’s website, there are some people who are more likely than others to be targeted by sophisticated hackers and should avoid using this SMS-based 2FA. For example, if you’re a politician, journalist, celebrity, or business leader, you could be targeted. Also, if you’re a person with access to sensitive corporate data, such as a system administrator, or just very wealthy, SMS may be too risky.
But, if you’re the average person with a Gmail or Facebook account and no one has a reason to spend a bunch of time getting access to your accounts, SMS authentication is fine and you should absolutely use it rather than using nothing at all.
If you suspect that your login credentials have been compromised, change your passwords as quickly as possible and report the website to the FTC and/or your identity theft resolution provider.
Sources:
https://conference.hitb.org/
https://Howtogeek.com/
