Multi-factor authentication has long been touted to protect accounts. Organizations implement it, feel protected and move on. But today’s attackers have evolved and so should defenses. Preventing access is ideal. But in the event a bad actor gets access, containment becomes a priority.
Threat actors aren’t always spending their time actively forcing their way into accounts. Instead, they’re taking the easy route, logging in with stolen credentials and using MFA bypass techniques.
Account takeovers (ATO) lets attackers slip into organizational environments unnoticed, where they can move laterally, escalate privileges, and quietly steal valuable information and data. And now, they’re increasingly logging in even with MFA in place. From social engineering to session hijacking, the tactics have become more sophisticated and more dangerous.
The Reality: MFA Can Be Bypassed#
Authentication is still crucial for defense, but standard MFA is quickly being outmaneuvered by bad actors. Think push notification fatigue or token theft. Once inside, they don’t just grab what they can and leave. They observe. They move laterally. They escalate privileges. And can often remain undetected for weeks or months.
The real question isn’t just how you block an attacker from getting in—it’s how you limit the damage if they do.
Spot the signs of account takeover#
Catching an ATO early can make all the difference. Watch for:
- Unfamiliar login locations or times
- Suspicious activity on accounts (transactions, messages, etc.)
- Alerts from service providers about login attempts or password changes
- Unusual emails or messages that appear to be from the account owner
- Unusual requests to register new MFA factors
ATO Defense: It’s All About Layers#
Defending against modern ATOs means building a layered strategy designed to detect, limit, and respond to threats. Multiple layers of security make it more difficult for attackers to succeed. Though every organization has their own individual requirements and risk profile, these strategies and tactics are tested options for defending against account takeovers.
- Identity and access management (IAM): Identity and access management systems ensure the right users and roles in your organization can access the tools they need.
- Consider just-in-time and least privilege access: This can reduce standing access to critical systems.
- Single Sign-On (SSO): With Single Sign-On, users can access a central hub of all their applications with one set of credentials which should always of course be further secured with MFA. This limits password sprawl and the potential of a bad actor to successfully access an account.
- Risk-Based Authentication (RBA): Uses behavioral analytics to detect suspicious login attempts.
- Continuous monitoring and incident response: Real-time monitoring of account activity can help detect and mitigate threats early. AI and machine learning can assist to sort through potential anomalies and red flags in real time.
- User education: Humans are often the weakest link when it comes to security. Regular education to users to help them understand the risks, signs and tactics used for account takeovers can reduce human errors that can lead to breaches.
Proactive security limits attacker opportunities#
The overall goal isn’t just to detect account takeovers, but it’s to make a breach as difficult and time consuming as possible. Beyond that, even if an attacker can gain access, it’s about limiting how far they can roam.
Using various layers of defense can reduce overall opportunities for an attacker to succeed. By frustrating them with defensive layers, organizations can force bad actors to move on to easier targets.
The question is never “Will an attacker try and break in?” The question is whether your organization has made it difficult enough via layered defenses, smart policies and fast detection to make an attacker give up and move on.
Marc Maguire — Solution Architect at One Identity https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqWyMXORlE630zzVeKzPQ0i6eGPGyklALy78TpOJ6uSzJaigL6SORfYlXX-y439OPCEDnMub-ZaGfqbNZOJ3EhnCAjfUJba_1ZzNryqa8Iae-ha72xQRNGqlSH2lj0-SUVNd12C0Fks9G4ZYOH1qPE9IjUaKU1qHUdB3BjZNwUG_EoUxYehU-UadoCgA/s1600/marc.png
