Cyberattacks have become a serious concern for organizations and individuals. The risk of losing crucial information, and money, among many other detrimental consequences, is frightening. A man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack is one of such scary threats to digital information that black hackers use nowadays.
According to Prosnet Business IT, preventive measures are always better than corrective actions. So, how does one prevent MITM attacks? Do you know if you are susceptible to one?
This blog post explains what a MITM attack is and how to prevent one.
What is a man-in-the-middle attack?
A man-in-the-middle attack is a security breach in which hackers decipher, intercept, or place themselves between two or more parties that are communicating. The definition of this attack also extends to the monitoring and manipulation of information stolen from a communication line for malicious reasons.
Vulnerable parties are not aware that their information is being intercepted during such attacks, which is a real scare. In MITM attacks, cybercriminals can change the information before it gets to the receiving end or records the exchange for future use.
There are different types of MITM attacks, with each leveraging on a particular vulnerability in the security system. Some of the common types include;
- Email Hijacking
In this type of MITM attack, a hacker gets access to the email account of his or her target. Silently, the attacker monitors all communications between the target and his or her contacts. With time, enough information is gathered for the malicious purposes the hacker intends to use them for.
Email hijacking is facilitated by phishing and spams in which the victim is tricked into revealing their credentials or installing malware. This malware records and sends the credentials to a remote server owned and controlled by the attacker.
How to prevent email hijacking
The most effective way of preventing this type of MITM attack is to strengthen the authentication of your email accounts. A two-factor authentication which necessitates not only your password but also a secondary token when login in is a good solution. However, a password-less authentication will make it impossible for attackers to get access to your email account.
- Wi-Fi eavesdropping
Another type of man-in-the-middle attack that hackers use is Wi-Fi eavesdropping. Here, the victim is tricked into connecting to a Wi-Fi network owned and controlled by the hacker. To go about this, the attacker sets a Wi-Fi hotspot in a public place like restaurants and hotels. This hotspot is named like that of the actual network in the area, so unsuspecting victims connect to it.
Once connected, several techniques can be used to redirect the victims to fake versions of the websites they are attempting to connect to.
How to prevent Wi-Fi eavesdropping
Public Wi-Fi networks are extremely unsafe and should not be used for sensitive tasks. If you have no other alternative but to use them, then remember to disable automatic Wi-Fi connections. Also, ensure that you select the network you intend to use. However, the best way to prevent such attacks is to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). These networks encrypt data even if a hacker gets hold of it.
- IP Spoofing
An Internet Protocol (IP) spoofing occurs when a malicious hacker presents themselves with the Internet protocol of a legitimate and known device to access resources and information from the host device or network. A DDoS attack in which traffic is sent to a network or website is one common way of using IP spoofing.
How to Prevent IP Spoofing
The best way to prevent this MITM attack is to encrypt your communication devices. When information is encrypted, no one, apart from the authorized party, will be able to read it. Another less secure way is to authenticate the identity of each user before granting access to a website or network.
- HTTPS hacking
Unlike IP addresses, HyperText Transfer Protocols (HTTPS) cannot be spoofed. However, hackers can still create websites that look similar to the targeted one. The domain name of the fake is very similar to that of the legitimate website, and the link is sent to the victim. While interacting with such websites, the victims fall prey to another type of MITM attacks.
How to Prevent HTTPS hacking
The most effective way is to disable the Punycode that is displayed in the browser. Doing this ensures that the authentic domain is visited and it will alert you of the non-legitimate website you are about to enter. A password manager can also help to prevent HTTPS hacking by filling the username and address box automatically when visiting a domain.
- Man-in-the-Browser attacks
In this type of MITM attacks, hackers place themselves between the information channel of the two parties by leveraging on the vulnerability of one party’s web-browser.
How to Prevent Man-in-the-browser attacks
Recognized browsers on secure Wi-Fi or mobile data networks only should be used to communicate with other parties.
In Conclusion
With adequate measures, most MITM attacks can be nipped in the bud. Follow the tips we have provided to prevent yourself or your organization from man-in-the-middle attacks.
