New password reset attack targets Apple device users

Scammers are taking advantage of Apple’s password reset tool in a new ‘MFA bombing’ attack.

woman using phone in the dark — d3sign/Getty Images

Apple device owners are facing a new phishing hack that uses “multi-factor authentication (MFA) bombing” to steal their data.

Several Apple users in have reported a hacking attempt that appears to take advantage of Apple’s password reset feature, KrebsOnSecurity reported, citing people who have been targeted. The scammers have used Apple’s password reset tool to spam their targets with dozens, if not hundreds, of notifications, asking the user to reset their Apple ID password.

Pressing the “Allow” option gets the scammers one step closer to resetting the user’s credentials because that device could then be used to create a new Apple ID password.

Unfortunately, tapping “Don’t Allow” on all the notifications doesn’t solve the problem.

After those targeted by the scam chose to not allow their passwords to be reset, they received phone calls from the scammers claiming they were from Apple’s support team, according to the report. Their goal was to send a password reset code to the user’s device and have the user tell them the code. Armed with that information, the scammers could simply reset the Apple ID password and get full access to the user’s account.

Since Krebs’ sources didn’t press “Allow” on the notification, it’s unclear what the scammers would have done in that scenario. Presumably, the scammers would still likely need to call the target, again acting as Apple support, and fool them into resetting the password on their device and sharing it with the hacker.

Phishing attacks have been used for decades to target unsuspecting victims. But in recent years, scammers have increasingly turned to phishing as a desirable way to steal passwords, delete data, and ultimately steal money from their victims.

In 2022, mobile phishing attacks were up a whopping 61% year-over-year in just a six-month period, according to security provider SlashNext. The company said mobile users faced 255 million phishing attacks during that period.

It’s unclear how many Apple users have been impacted by this MFA bombing attack. However, Krebs’ sources reported that they received notifications on their iPhones, Apple Watches, and Macs, suggesting the attack isn’t just limited to one type of Apple device. What’s worse, there’s no simple way to stop it.

One of Krebs’ sources said they called Apple for help with the attack and the company said they should create a recovery key, a 28-character code that they would need to input to change their Apple ID password.

However, after creating a recovery code, Krebs reported that it was still possible to trigger the notifications the users saw when targeted by the spammers. It appears Apple’s password reset feature may be to blame and until the company changes how that works, hackers could conceivably continue to exploit the flaw and target users.

For now, if you’re an Apple user, your only option is to stay in the know and remain vigilant. If you receive a slew of password reset requests that you didn’t initiate, be sure to always choose the “Don’t Allow” option on the notifications.

Don’t be tempted to choose “Allow” simply because the notifications aren’t allowing you to use other apps or services on your device — a core component in the fraudsters’ plan. Even if you don’t choose “Allow,” be prepared for a call and be sure not to answer it.

Additionally, Apple has made it clear that the company does not call any of its users directly. So, if you receive a number from 1-800-275-2273 (Apple’s actual support line that the scammers are spoofing to make their calls seem legitimate), don’t pick up and definitely don’t provide any information to the caller.

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In today’s digital landscape, receiving a calendar invite for a meeting is as common as checking your email. However, amidst the sea of legitimate invites lies a new threat targeting Mac users. Hackers have now found a way to exploit calendar invites and meeting links, using them as vectors to inject malware onto unsuspecting systems.

Cyber criminals are leveraging the popularity of scheduling tools like Calendly to execute their nefarious schemes. Unlike traditional malware attacks focused on financial gain, this tactic aims to compromise users’ systems for cryptocurrency theft.

Moreover, these malicious actors are employing sophisticated social engineering tactics, presenting fake video conference links to lure unsuspecting victims into clicking. The days of Mac users feeling immune to malware threats are officially behind us.

However, all hope is not lost. By practicing vigilant cyber hygiene and exercising caution before clicking on any suspicious links or invites, Mac users can shield themselves from falling prey to these insidious malware infections. Here is another example of the most recent Calendly link cybersecurity shenanigans:

If you receive a calendar invitation to see fresh fax papers, be cautious: it’s almost certainly a phishing effort to steal your identity and login credentials for your corporate accounts.

INKY cybersecurity researchers issued the warning, which revealed the phishing effort that was initially discovered at the end of February 2022.

It all starts with a hacked email account that sends out a message inviting recipients to “see newly received documents” via a URL using a compromised identity.

It appears to be a Calendly calendar link at first glance. Calendly was most likely used, according to INKY, because anyone may sign up for a free account without having to provide their credit card information.

The plot thickens at this point. The invite pages on Calendly can be customized. The Add Custom Link function allowed criminals to construct a fake fax document notification with all of the standard fax data (number of pages or file size, for example), then inject a malicious link on the event page using the Add Custom Link tool.

The victim is taken to the credential-harvesting page after clicking on the “preview document” link. The page in this instance is a spoof of Microsoft. However, hovering over the link reveals where it leads: INKY cautions users of https://dasigndesigns[.]com/ss/update/index.html, a hijacked site that is listed in Google, Firefox, and Netcraft threat feeds.

If the victim enters their login credentials here, the attackers will receive them, and the victim will receive an error message stating that an invalid password was input. The victim would be sent to their site after the second attempt, which the researchers regarded as a “smart touch” that reduces the suspicion.

Tag: Mac Security

New Password Reset attack targets Apple device users

New password reset attack targets Apple device users

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If you receive a calendar invite to view new fax documents, be careful – it’s most likely a phishing attack, attempting to obtain your identity and login credentials for your corporate accounts.