Protecting Your Business from Token Theft

As technology continues to evolve, so do the threats posed by cybercriminals. Phishing is one of the most common and dangerous cyber threats, and it is becoming increasingly sophisticated. One of the latest emerging phishing threats is token theft, a type of attack that targets authentication tokens used to access online accounts. 

What is Token Theft?

Token theft is a type of phishing attack that involves stealing authentication tokens, which are used to access online accounts. These tokens are stored in a user’s browser or third-party application. Once the token is stolen, the attacker can use it to gain access to the user’s account and any associated data.

Why is Token Theft Dangerous?

Token theft is a particularly dangerous type of phishing attack because it can be difficult to detect. Unlike other types of phishing attacks, token theft does not involve sending malicious emails or links. Instead, the attacker can silently steal the token without the user’s knowledge.

How Can You Avoid Token Theft?

Token theft is a growing concern for many organizations. Here are some ways to protect against token theft:

• Maintain full visibility into how and where all users are authenticating.
• Allow only known devices that adhere to Microsoft’s recommended security baselines.
• Reduce the lifetime of each session to shorten the length of time a given token is viable.
• Implement Conditional Access App Control in Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps.
• Utilize session conditional access policies and other compensating controls to reduce the impact of token theft.
• Be aware of the signs of a phishing attack, such as suspicious emails or links.
• Never click on links from unknown sources.
• Consider implementing a token-based authentication system, which uses tokens generated for each user that are only valid for a limited amount of time.
  
  

These measures can help mitigate the risk of token theft and improve your organization’s security posture. Learn more about protecting your business with enterprise security tools and gain expert recommendations to strengthen your unique IT environment with an iCorps Security Assessment.