How ATOs Tie To Physical Security

Threats companies face today continue to blur the line between physical and cyber security disciplines. Consider account takeover (ATO) attacks as an example, which have seen a 365% increase since this time last year according to recent studies.

At first glance, ATOs are primarily considered cybersecurity threats since perpetrators use phishing attempts, malware, or stolen credentials to gain unauthorized access to IT network accounts and sensitive data. Yet the full repercussions of successful ATO attacks extend well into the physical security domain.

Physical Security Threats

Residential addresses of employees and executives that are acquired during an ATO attack may be exposed in dark web forums. Attackers will often sell or directly leak these addresses to radical groups online who view these locations as targets for protests or disturbances. Other personal information such as mobile numbers and email addresses can be used by criminals

for unsolicited contact or fraud.

Financial Harm

If a compromise of an organization’s communication channels goes undetected, bad actors can manipulate employee decisions by utilizing email accounts of senior executives. In this scenario, we commonly see an attacker posing as a C-Level executive requesting an urgent transfer of money by a staff member who only wishes to follow orders. It is not until well after the transaction is complete that the ATO attack is usually discovered as the source of the problem.

Reputational Damage

An organization’s public facing online presence can also be a target during an attack. ATO-accessed social media accounts or websites can serve as conduits for misinformation or defamatory content created by the attackers. Content of this nature may take the form of controversial social posts that can be used against an organization or its executives. Also, the door is opened for criminals to conduct fraudulent investment schemes or other nefarious activities using the company’s public facing accounts. Of all potential damage caused by an ATO attack, the consequences against an organization’s reputation are the most enduring and difficult to repair.

The continued convergence of physical and cyber security requires a non-siloed approach when evaluating an organization’s risk profile and resiliency against any given threat. It is only through an integrated approach to corporate security that threat vectors can be effectively identified and mitigated.