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.
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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Christine Barry is Senior Chief Blogger and Social Media Manager at Barracuda. Prior to joining Barracuda, Christine was a field engineer and project manager for K12 and SMB clients for over 15 years. She holds several technology and project management credentials, a Bachelor of Arts, and a Master of Business Administration. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan.
Connect with Christine on LinkedIn here.
