Public Wi-Fi Threats: How DNS Hijacking Can Put Microsoft 365 Accounts at Risk

Public Wi-Fi eases travel and work, but it can be used by cybercriminals as well. There have been new DNS hijack attacks reported at hotel and conference Wi-Fis that force you to go to phishing login pages in order to steal your credentials.

How Does the Attack Work?

Imagine an employee traveling for business trips. When they connect to the Wi-Fi of a hotel and go to Microsoft 365 via their laptop in order to check emails, they will see not the usual login page of Microsoft 365, but rather a convincing fake one. Thinking that everything is all right, the employee inputs their credentials. The cybercriminal can now try using them to log in the real Microsoft 365 account. The problem here is that this attack does not seem unusual to the user.

Why Public Wi-Fi Is a Security Concern

The ease with which public Wi-Fi networks can be attacked is due to the high number of users and the lack of full control over the network for the company.

For companies, this highlights one of the basic rules for securing against cyber threats: even if there is access to the internet, it does not mean that the network is trustworthy.

An attack on the network may result in phishing, obtaining passwords, and account hijacking.

It is important for organizations to train employees on how to:
– Get a reliable VPN when allowed to connect to public Wi-Fi.
– Check the URL of the website before entering any login information.
-Use MFA in all company-related accounts.
– Never work on any sensitive information over questionable networks.
– Know how phishing and fake login pages work.

But simply having users trained is not adequate. Firms have to include different levels of cybersecurity solutions that prevent minor attacks from escalating into bigger problems.

How Venom IT Helps

Venom IT has adopted a multilayered security strategy with different technologies such as advanced endpoint protection, multi-factor authentication, email security, and vulnerability management.

SentinelOne Endpoint Protection & Vigilance – While SentinelOne provides endpoint protection, Vigilance further provides solutions through a managed 24/7 Security Operation Center (SOC). In this case, analysts continuously monitor alerts, validate any threats, and take the necessary actions.

Huntress Managed ITDR: Since attackers are now focusing more on targeting identities than devices, the Venom IT company has expanded its Managed Identity Threat Detection and Response service to Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. This means monitoring any suspicious activities while fighting business email compromise attacks and other account phishing.

Moreover, it is able to respond to other threats such as hijacking sessions and malicious use of OAuth with the help of human-made threat alerts.

Duo 2FA – Duo builds access security using the multi-factor authentication method with the help of push notifications as well as biometric and hardware-based authentication. It even gives adaptive policies regarding devices to prevent insecure logins.

Security analysis and vulnerability management – ConnectSecure consistently discovers vulnerabilities, identifies assets’ presence and sorts threats, helping organizations take steps to eliminate vulnerabilities.

Email safety – Venom IT presents answers like Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration and N-able SpamExperts. This guards against phishing, malware, ransomware, and data intrusion, including features like phishing detection, malicious link analysis, and account takeover protection.

Protect Your Business Beyond The Office

A free Wi-Fi connection at a hotel might appear to be the easiest way to entering the web, however, it poses multiple risks for companies. Considering that cybersecurity isn’t only about protecting the network either. Venom IT is the provider of cybersecurity solutions that involve usage of advanced technologies and layered approach for improving security without additional complexity. So, do not wait until the potential compromise happens.