What Is a Multi-Factor Authentication Prompt Bombing Attack?
Have you ever clicked on a notification on your device accidentally? It happens sometimes. But cybercriminals use this small mistake to launch cyberattacks.
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What Is an MFA Prompt Bombing Attack?
An MFA prompt bombing attack is a process where cybercriminals send loads of malicious MFA requests to your system, hoping that you will approve them mistakenly. It’s one of the chiefvulnerabilities of multi-factor authentication. Despite being a good system for enhancing cybersecurity with various user verification procedures, hackers use simple human error to beat it.
How Do MFA Prompt Bombing Attacks Work?
One would think that a hacker needs advanced hacking skills to pull off an MFA prompt bombing attack, but that’s not the case. They basically leverage human error, particularly fatigue or distraction, to push past MFA.
First, a hacker needs valid account login credentials to carry out MFA prompt bombings. The hacker must have stolen your username and password through identity-based attacks like credential theft, a process where theyretrieve your personal information, to initiate the attack.
If youimplement MFA authentication, intruders attempting to log into that service must verify their identity via the phone number, email address, or device you registered in the multi-factor authentication process. They take a chance by sending several authentication requests to your device.
Under normal circumstances, you wouldn’t approve an MFA request you didn’t initiate. But things could slip through the cracks, especially when the threat actors take advantage of your vulnerability. They will bombard you with multiple alerts until you get tired and approve one just to stop the disturbance. It may seem like a silly mistake, but it happens to even the most careful people—no one is infallible.
Attackers don’t always perform MFA prompt bombing attacks manually. They make use of bots to attempt logging in at a scheduled frequency. This enables them to send a lot of notifications without too much effort from the hacker. These can be scheduled in batches and rolled them out when they assume you will either be too tired or busy to pay attention to the actual notifications.
Timing is key to the success of an MFA prompt bombing attack. In the middle of the day, when you are preoccupied with work and can’t scrutinize the details of an authentication request, especially works in the attacker’s favor. At night, when you are tired after a long day and just want to rest, is also a good time. There’s a high probability that you’ll approve an MFA request without double-checking it.
MFA prompt bombing isn’t only text-based. An overzealous cybercriminal may call you and pretend to be from legitimate sources you are familiar with. This typically happens after conducting research to identify the people or organizations that ring a bell to you. You could get carried away at that moment and approve the notification without confirming its authenticity.
How Can You Prevent an MFA Prompt Bombing Attack?
Approving a seemingly harmless MFA request can expose your sensitive data or displace you from your account, allowing the hacker to take charge. you may prevent that from happening with these security measures.
Scrutinize All MFA Notifications
MFA prompt bombing attacks are one of the easiest attacks to prevent as their success lies on your approval. If you don’t give the green light, the attack can’t proceed. You need to prioritize how you approve requests.
Make sure you double-check all requests you receive, be it MFA or not. Cultivating this habit keeps you vigilant of notification-based cyber threats. Instead of approving requests on a whim, you’ll take a closer look at them first.
Most systems or networks send MFA notifications instantly. If you receive a request you didn’t initiate, that’s a clue that something is fishy. If you didn’t ask a service to send you an MFA code, then don’t approve the request at all, no matter what.
Set Up Authentication Context Information
We have established that you could accidentally approve a request you didn’t initiate, but having more information about a request such as the sender’s location and device can prevent you from making such mistakes. Not all MFA authentication apps provide information about notifications, but if one does offer these features, set it up.
Even if you are tired or busy, seeing a strange location and device in a notification will hold you back from approving it. Familiarize yourself with the approval contexts, so you’ll look out for them before taking action.
Minimize Authentication Attempts
Hackers flood your device with MFA prompts because they have no restrictions. This gives them the freedom to keep trying until they get lucky. Take that privilege from them by minimizing authorized authentication attempts.
Allowing two or three login attempts is standard practice. A legitimate user should be able to pass a multi-factor authentication on two or three attempts. Any further attempts are a red flag. You expose your system to threats by allowing it.
Improve MFA Prompt Bombing Awareness
Understanding the dynamics of MFA prompt bombing attacks means it’s possible to avoid them. There’s a widespread misconception that multi-factor authentication isn’t vulnerable. This notion stems from a lack of awareness. You could approve malicious requests out of ignorance, a blunder that you could have avoided with the right knowledge.
Don’t limit your awareness to only MFA attacks. Look at the big picture by seeking cybersecurity knowledge in general. MFA attacks work with other cyberattacks. Being vast in cybersecurity helps youimplement proactive security to prevent threats beforehand.
What to Do if You Receive an Unsolicited MFA Notification
No, you shouldn’t click on a notification you didn’t request, but there’s another important step you need to take.
Getting such a request likely means someone malicious has your login details, so sign in yourself and reset your password. This should lock out any attackers. If you use the same password for other services (we recommend that you don’t), you need to change those too: otherwise, the cybercriminals with your details could potentially compromise those accounts as well.
A Little Caution Prevents MFA Prompt Bombing
Everyone makes mistake, so don’t be too hard on yourself over MFA prompt bombing attacks. Nonetheless, it’s possible to minimize their occurrence with a little caution.
Establish a standard for managing push requests and notifications. Checking the details of an MFA request helps avert a threat. The more notifications you check, the more threats you prevent.
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