As you are aware that Man-in-the-Middle attacks occur exclusively for malicious purposes. Cybercriminals target people who frequently use credit cards for online purchases and steal their personal information. Implementing the right countermeasures will help you keep your information safe. This article serves as a guide on what MITM Attack is, the types and how to prevent it. I also added some tools you can use to prevent it. Why not dive in now?
What Is a Man-in-the-Middle Mobile Attack?
Man-in-the-middle attacks, or MiTM attacks, are when a hacker watches what someone does online and pretends to be someone or something they trust. If the victim believes they are talking to someone on the other end who has genuine intentions, they may answer the criminal’s queries about themselves or their finances.
MiTM is an all-encompassing phrase that covers a variety of cybercrime strategies, including:
#1. IP spoofing
Using this method, a criminal gets in between two people who are talking by hiding their real IP address. Each device connected to the internet is given a unique code known as an IP address. In order to route wire transfers to their own bank account, the criminal will pose as either party in order to obtain private financial information or provide false banking information.
#2. MFA bombing
It happens when a criminal obtains a user’s login information but still faces a final hurdle in order to access a protected online account: a one-time, time-sensitive multifactor authentication (MFA) code. The criminal may either mimic a support staff member and call, email, or text repeatedly for the code until the victim disables MFA out of frustration.
#3. Session hijacking
During a session hijacking attack, a cybercriminal poses as the legitimate user of a website in order to get access to private information and carry on a discussion or sensitive transaction that the user had initiated. Theft of the user’s session cookie allows the criminal to accomplish this.
#4. Router hacking
Wireless routers are easy targets for hackers who can then redirect users’ traffic to phishing sites asking for sensitive information. Weak passwords or factory-set passwords make routers more susceptible to hacking by malicious actors. Or, a technique that doesn’t involve any hacking at all: If a hacker places a wireless router in a public area, unsuspecting users may connect to it, thinking it is free Wi-Fi from a local business.
Types of Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) Attacks
The following are the types of MITM attacks:
#1. Rogue Access Point
Wireless-enabled devices will usually try to join automatically to the access point with the strongest signal. Attackers are able to create their own wireless access point and entice neighboring devices to connect to it. The attacker can now influence all of the victim’s network traffic. Even if the attacker isn’t on a secure network, they can still do this—they just need to be close enough.
#2. ARP Spoofing
ARP stands for “Address Resolution Protocol.” It is employed in local area networks to translate IP addresses to physical MAC (media access control) addresses. A host uses the ARP cache to resolve an IP address to a MAC address when it needs to communicate with another host that has the same IP address. A request is made to obtain the device’s MAC address along with its IP address if the address is unknown.
To impersonate another host, an attacker may use its own MAC address to reply to unauthorized requests. An attacker can intercept the secret communication between two hosts by placing specific packets in the right places. It is possible to extract valuable information from the traffic, including session token exchanges, which gives the attacker full access to accounts for applications that they shouldn’t have.
#3. mDNS Spoofing
Similar to DNS, Multicast DNS operates on a local area network (LAN) via broadcast, similar to ARP. It is hence the ideal target for spoofing attempts. Configuring network devices should be incredibly easy with the help of the local name resolution mechanism. Users can let the system handle the resolution of the issue; they are not required to know the precise addresses that their devices should be connecting with.
This protocol is used by devices that are inherently trustworthy, such as televisions, printers, and home entertainment systems. An attacker can easily respond to an app request for the address of a specific device, such tv.local, with fictitious data, telling the app to resolve to an address under its control. Devices maintain a local cache of addresses, thus for a while the victim will consider the attacker’s device to be reliable.
#4. DNS Spoofing
DNS works in a manner analogous to that of ARP in that it converts domain names into IP addresses. By injecting erroneous DNS cache data into a host, an attacker can use DNS spoofing to gain access to another host by using their domain name, like www.onlinebanking.com. As a result, under the impression that they are communicating with a reliable source, the victim ends up transferring private information to a hostile site. By simply resolving a DNS server’s address to the attacker’s address, an attacker who has previously faked an IP address may find it much easier to spoof DNS.
How to Detect a MITM Attack
A MITM attack is difficult to detect because the criminal’s purpose is to remain undetected. You can hire security professionals to do danger hunting on a regular basis. If not, how can you find out if you’ve been the target of an MITM attack? There are some warning signs. Keep an eye out for these indicators that someone is monitoring your connections on the internet. Here is how to detect a MITM attack:
#1. Phishing websites
Using a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack, hackers direct victims to a malicious website. They must deceive you in order to obtain the information they desire, such as your account login, because they can only access your internet connection and the traffic originating from your device. Also, they use a bogus website to trick you into thinking you’ve arrived at the real one. They also advertise free software downloads on phony websites, but what you’re really getting is malware that accesses your computer’s files.
Check for “https” at the beginning of the URL for every website you visit in order to protect yourself. If you visit a reputable website, like your bank, and you don’t see the “https” protocol, a cybercriminal is attempting to deceive you.
They use a URL that is slightly different from the real one, which is another sign that the website is not real. When attempting to access google.com, for instance, you might encounter go0gle.com, which is a minor variant. That indicates that the hacker intercepted your connection and diverted your traffic to their fictitious website.
#2. Intrusive popups
When you load a webpage, a notification window containing critical information pops out of nowhere. It can say that a virus has invaded your device or that your PC requires an important update. This urgent warning demands that you download a remedy right away by clicking a link.
If you click on the link, you’ll actually download malware, just like with the fake website. The website you are currently seeing might not be a fake. It is the popup that the perpetrator included in their Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attack.
#3. Suspicious certificates
Each real website has a certificate from a certification body that says the owner of the website is who they say they are. When a browser detects that this certificate is missing, invalid, or has expired, it will alert you. Your browser is warning you about a malicious website because of a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack if it shows a certificate warning. You ought not to enter the location.
Even trustworthy websites can fail to keep their security certificate up to date. Avoid assuming any risks. Avoid websites without updated certificates at all costs.
Tools for a MITM Attack
These are some of the standard tools used in MITM attacks. Commonly used tools for intercepting host-to-host communication include PacketCreator, Ettercap, dSniff, and Cain & Abel. People who use LAN networks are more likely to get better results from the tools.
To modify the HTTP protocol, one can also employ proxy tools for a MITM attack. You can also use OWASP, WebScarab, Paros, Burp Proxy, ProxyFuzz, or Odysseus as proxy tools for a MITM attack.
Techniques for Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) Attacks
The following are techniques for MITM attacks:
#1. Sniffing
Attackers examine packets at a low level by using packet capture tools. Attackers can gain access to data that isn’t meant for them by using wireless devices that can be set to monitoring or promiscuous mode, such as data meant for other hosts.
#2. Packet injection
An adversary can compromise a system by inserting malicious data packets into a network while the system is in monitoring mode. The malicious packets have the ability to mix in with legitimate data transmission streams, giving the impression that they are a part of the exchange. Before attempting to inject packets, it is common practice to use sniffing to learn when and what to transmit.
#3. Hijacking a session
Rather than having the user enter their password on each page, the majority of web apps utilize a login method that creates a temporary session token for use in subsequent requests. By sniffing sensitive traffic, an attacker can find a user’s session token and exploit it to send requests on the user’s behalf. Once the attacker obtains a session token, spoofing is not necessary.
#4. SSL stripping
Due to the fact that employing HTTPS is a frequent defense against ARP or DNS spoofing, attackers can force the host to send unencrypted requests to the server by intercepting packets and using SSL stripping to change HTTPS-based address requests to go to comparable HTTP endpoints. Text messages can include sensitive information.
How to Prevent MITM Attacks
It’s important to know how to prevent MITM attacks. Preventive measures are the most effective means of preventing MITM attacks. Here is how to prevent MITM attacks:
#1. VPN
Using a virtual private network (VPN) to connect to the internet is a great way to protect your privacy and data when surfing the web. You can send encrypted data online with a VPN. The MITM attack can’t get into your network data because of this encryption. The encrypted data prevents hackers from reading your communications or figuring out which websites you visit, even if they are able to gain access to your network.
Organizations, and especially those with remote workers, would benefit from knowing how to set up a VPN and having access to VPN software. Another advantage of a VPN is that it offers protection if you must use public Wi-Fi.
#2. Pair-Based public key authentication
Man-in-the-middle attacks usually entail some sort of spoofing. To help verify if the entities you are dealing with are truly the ones you want to be communicating with, public key pair based authentication techniques like RSA can be applied at different stages of the stack.
#3. Security of endpoints
You or your employees may become victims of MITM attacks in spite of your best efforts. These assaults work in tandem with malware to give hackers complete control over your device or IT network.
Use robust endpoint security software to stave off these attacks. The finest security software guards against cyberattacks by scanning emails and websites that can be hazardous. This security program protects you in the event that malware infects your device or network.
#4. Safe connections
Your first line of protection is a secure internet connection. Therefore, you should avoid any website that doesn’t use HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) to encrypt your data. MITM attacks can’t happen because of the extra SSL security.
Choosing secure websites isn’t the only thing you should do. Don’t use any free public Wi-Fi that you can’t trust. These connections have no security, making it simple for a hacker to get in between you and the websites you’re viewing.
Also, stay away from public Wi-Fi in places with loose security, including coffee shops. For a criminal, all they have to do is ask the barista for the password to the Wi-Fi. It isn’t any more secure than an unprotected network.
#5. Multi-factor authentication
Using multi-factor authentication (MFA) can save you from losing everything if you fall victim to a man-in-the-middle (MITM) assault and the attacker obtains your login credentials via a fraudulent website.
With MFA, a security feature, you utilize a second form of authentication in addition to your login and password to access your account. You can prevent a hacker from accessing your financial information or personal data by requiring several methods of identification verification in addition to a readily stolen login.
#6. Training
Companies are especially susceptible to cyberattacks such as MITM. Criminals find organizations to be appealing targets, and gullible staff may unintentionally provide these bad guys with access. Staff members, especially those working remotely, should be made aware of the risks posed by a man-in-the-middle assault. Inform them on safe internet behaviors, including setting up a VPN, and tell them to stay away from public Wi-Fi networks.
Make a plan to periodically inform and re-inform your staff about the most recent cyberthreats. The more you and your employees practice safe online behavior, the less likely it is that cyberattacks will negatively impact your company.
Read Also: IDS & IPS: What is the Difference & Which Is Best For You?
Why Would Someone Use a MiTM Attack?
An attacker called a “man-in-the-middle” (MITM) puts themselves between two parties, usually a user and an application, to listen in on their conversations and steal their data. They then use this information for bad things, like hacking or making purchases without permission.
Are MITM Attacks Still Possible?
The session will terminate if the identity of the server or client is not confirmed or is regarded as invalid. Nevertheless, mutual authentication is not always used and MITM attacks are still possible because the default behavior of the majority of connections is to simply authenticate the server.
Is MITM a Malware?
The most prevalent kind of Man-in-the-Browser (MitM) attack targets browser infection and introduces malicious proxy malware into the victim’s device. Phishing emails are a popular way for malware to spread.
Can You Detect MITM?
Through network tracking, deep packet inspection (DPI) and deep flow inspection (DFI) can also find man-in-the-middle attacks. Network monitors can obtain information on packet length and size from DPI and DFI. They are useful in locating unusual network activity.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve ever used Wi-Fi in a public place like a cafe, airport, or library, you could be at risk of a cyberattack known as a man-in-the-middle attack (MITM). The Man in the Middle (MITM) attack is malicious because it is hard to detect and allows an attacker full visibility into your online activities, including email. Therefore, to keep your computers safe, get the best desktop security software.
- Why Is Cybersecurity Important? All You Need To Know
- THE DARK WEB: Everything You Need to Know
- ATTACK SURFACE: What is It & How Do You Protect It?
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