Key takeaways
- MitM attacks intercept communications: Attackers position themselves between users and networks to capture credentials, monitor activity, or steal sensitive data without either party noticing.
- Public Wi-Fi increases exposure: Rogue hotspots, DNS spoofing, IP spoofing, session hijacking, and SSL stripping are common techniques used to intercept communications and compromise users.
- Remote work creates security challenges: Unmanaged devices, personal endpoints, and limited BYOD visibility increase the risk of MitM attacks for organizations and MSPs.
- Prevention requires multiple controls: enforcing MFA, endpoint encryption, BYOD policies, and restricting corporate access over public Wi-Fi to reduce MitM risk.
Is someone listening to your conversations in public?
The short answer is yes.
That tempting “free hotspot” at your local cafe could be a trap for a Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack, where cybercriminals intercept your data as it moves between your device and the network.
An attacker could be deploying malware onto your browser in stealth mode while you casually check your company emails, hop on Zoom calls, or send confidential PDFs via Slack, posing serious security risks for your organization.
In this blog, we’ll break down different types of MitM attacks, the techniques used, and how to prevent malicious actors from stealing your sensitive data in public settings. You may want to think twice before connecting to that risky public Wi-Fi network while ordering your morning latte.
How a Man-in-the-Middle Attack (MitM) Works
Man-in-the-middle attacks occur when a threat actor intercepts communication between several parties. The attacker might pose as the recipient, listening in on private conversations or capturing login credentials in real-time without either party realizing what’s happening.
A study conducted by Forbes Advisor found that 43% of people who use public Wi-Fi have had their security compromised. Yet the reality security teams face is that employees and third parties will access the corporate network remotely, many of which from personal devices.
Unsecured endpoints serve as prime entry points for attackers to intercept communications and exfiltrate sensitive data. Managing company devices at scale is no easy task for MSPs, as scores of new devices may be added to the corporate network without their knowledge or consent, increasing the risk of MitM attacks in remote settings. Without BYOD policies, the threat is further compounded as visibility is exceptionally limited.
Oh, and then we add AI into the mix. Threat actors can carry out highly sophisticated phishing campaigns and launch DNS spoofing attacks without arousing suspicion. Access to the corporate network must be limited or restricted in certain instances to prevent MitM attacks and data breaches.
Types of Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attacks
Wi-Fi eavesdropping: Hello? Can you hear that? Probably not, because there is no sound or notification when an attacker steals your data. Wi-Fi eavesdropping, also known as Wi-Fi sniffing or an “evil twin” refers to the interception of data packets transmitted over a wireless network. Attackers create rogue access points that mimic actual Wi-Fi networks that convince unsuspecting users to connect and unknowingly expose sensitive information.
DNS spoofing: DNS spoofing or DNS cache poisoning occurs when users are redirected to a malicious site that appears legitimate on the surface. These dummy sites are used to capture login credentials, passwords, and other sensitive information, which attackers can leverage to their advantage.
IP spoofing: This attack involves the creation of IP packets with false source IP addresses to impersonate a trusted computer system. A MitM attack is a perfect example of an IP spoofing technique. IP packets deceive the target system into believing they are coming from a legitimate site.
Session hijacking: Sometimes personal life coincides with work. Employees might pay a utility bill or make an e-commerce purchase through a corporate device, while their session cookie remains in the browser as they are still logged in. In a MitM attack, the threat actor steals the session ID with the cookie and impersonates the user. Time is also of the essence, as sessions typically expire after a short window and your accounts may already be hijacked by an attacker.
SSL stripping: SSL stripping attacks downgrade the user’s server from a secured HTTPS connection to a vulnerable and unencrypted HTTP connection. Open Wi-Fi networks make this a very simple procedure as attackers can intercept communication between the user’s device and server. That airport lounge with “unlimited free Wi-Fi” can spell disaster for an unsuspecting employee if an attacker is within proximity.
4 Effective Ways to Prevent Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attacks
- Deploy multi-factor authentication (MFA): Two-factor authentication (2FA) alone is no longer sufficient, especially in remote environments where IT management has even less control over devices. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to take additional steps, such as authenticating with biometrics, which are unique to each individual, significantly reducing the risk of compromised credentials or data leakage.
- Increase endpoint security: As the saying goes, you can’t protect what you don’t know exists, and this is especially relevant to securing devices. Start with the basics. Encryption. Ensure that all company devices are fully encrypted, end-to-end, to protect sensitive data in transit and at rest. Suddenly those unmanaged devices become a bit more manageable.
- Enforce BYOD policies: You must require every employee to use different passwords and login credentials for different accounts for company-issued laptops and devices. This sounds quite obvious, yet employees reuse the same login credentials across multiple company accounts, and even with their own personal devices. Ensure that BYOD policies are implemented across the organization, from the top down to defend against MitM attacks.
- Restrict public Wi-Fi connections for company access: A busy CEO waiting to board a packed flight overseas might be too preoccupied to consider the risks of connecting their iPad to a public hotspot. A threat actor within close range can intercept the signal and inject malware onto the device to gain access to the CEO’s personal accounts. This is certainly a scenario you want to avoid. Ensure that cloud accounts and corporate networks are blocked in such settings. Take no chances when it comes to data loss.
Prevent Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attacks with Guardz
Take a user-centric approach to preventing MitM attacks with the Ultimate Cybersecurity Plan for MSPs.
Guardz MDR integrates SentinelOne’s advanced EDR capabilities and aggregates signals from multiple layers of security identities, endpoints, email, cloud, and data into a user-centric analysis to automate threat detection and mitigation from a single interface.
Don’t let a risky Wi-Fi connection at an airport lounge cause a massive breach. Go beyond endpoint protection with the Ultimate Cybersecurity Plan.
Speak with one of our experts today.
