Email threat types: Account takeover

Account takeover, also known as an ATO or an account compromise attack, is a type of identity theft where criminals gain access to a legitimate user account in order to steal money or sensitive information. 

Hackers use a variety of tactics to gain access to the account: brand impersonation, social engineering, phishing, credential stuffing, and brute force hacking. According to Experian's 2020 Global Identity and Fraud Report, 57 percent of businesses report higher fraud losses associated with account takeover, up from 51 percent in 2017. Volume 2 of our spear-phishing report takes an in-depth look at these attacks. 

Account takeover is one of the threats identified in our free e-book, 13 Email Threats to Know About Right Now, and it is discussed in our Below the Surface episode with Olesia Klevchuk from our email security team.

Download your free copy of the e-book, 13 Email Threats to Know About Right Now, to learn how to defend against account takeover and other dangerous email threats.

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