A Man In The Middle (MITM) attack involves an attacker who secretly intercepts communications between two parties. This type of cyber attack has the attacker position themselves in the middle of a conversation, either impersonating one of the legitimate parties or eavesdropping on the data exchange.
The main aim of MITM attacks is to steal sensitive information, such as account details, credit card numbers, and login credentials. High-risk targets typically include users of financial applications, SaaS businesses, and e-commerce platforms.
The stolen data can be exploited for various malicious purposes, including unauthorised fund transfers, identity theft, or altering account settings without the user’s consent.
With MITM attacks accounting for 19% of all successful cyber attacks, there is a critical need for effective prevention measures that protect sensitive information.
We’ll cover 5 man in the middle attack prevention strategies below, so you can prevent MITM attacks and keep your organisation’s communications secure.
How To Prevent Man-In-The-Middle Attacks
Here are 5 man in the middle attack prevention strategies you can use to protect your privacy online.
1. Secure Your Wi-Fi and Router Login Credentials
According to research from All About Cookies, 69% of internet users connect to public Wi-Fi networks at least once a week, even though they are increasingly aware of the Wi-Fi security risks involved.
One of the most common ways cybercriminals carry out MITM attacks is by exploiting vulnerabilities in weak or unsecured Wi-Fi networks.
To prevent this, always use Wi-Fi networks that are protected with robust security protocols, like WPA2 or WPA3. These encryption standards help safeguard the data transmitted over your network, making it much harder for attackers to intercept sensitive information.
Avoid connecting to open or poorly secured public Wi-Fi networks, especially those that lack a password, or use a simple, easily guessed one. These networks are prime targets for attackers looking to hijack communications.
In addition, check that the login credentials for your router are changed from their default settings. Many routers come with easily accessible default usernames and passwords, which are often published online or found on a sticker on the device.
If an attacker gains access to your router’s settings, they can alter the network configuration to intercept your traffic. For better security, create a strong, unique password for your router’s admin login to protect it from unauthorised access.
2. Stay Alert To Phishing Scams
Phishing is a deceptive tactic used by attackers to trick individuals into revealing personal or sensitive information.
The hackers pose as trusted organisations, like popular online services or banks. This is often carried out through fraudulent emails, websites, or messages that look convincing.
The UK Government’s 2024 Cyber Security Breaches Survey found that phishing attacks are the most common type of breach, affecting 84% of businesses and 83% of charities. To protect yourself from phishing-based MITM attacks, follow these best practices:
- Double-check the sender’s email address and watch for subtle signs of forgery, like misspellings or strange domain names.
- Manually type URLs into your browser instead of clicking on suspicious links to verify the legitimacy of a website.
- Be cautious of unsolicited messages that ask for personal details or login information.
- Stay informed about the latest phishing tactics and regularly update your knowledge of emerging threats to stay one step ahead of attackers.
At Net Consulting, our Advanced Phishing Validation Service helps protect your business from phishing threats with cutting-edge intelligence and automated checks.
Contact us today on +44 (0)29 2097 2020 to find out more.
3. Protect Connections With A VPN
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a powerful tool to defend against man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks by securing your internet connection and checking that your online activities remain private.
A VPN creates a secure, encrypted link between your device and a remote server on the Internet. This encrypted tunnel keeps all of your data traffic private as it travels over the network.
When you activate a VPN, it encrypts your data before it leaves your device. This encryption turns the data into unreadable information, so it is useless to anyone who tries to intercept it.
Here’s a breakdown of how a VPN can defend against MITM attacks:
- Encryption: The encrypted tunnel created by a VPN ensures that the intercepted data remains unreadable. Even if attackers access the traffic, the data is useless without the encryption key.
- Authentication: VPNs authenticate the server to verify it’s legitimate, preventing attackers from impersonating a trusted server.
- Data Integrity: If attackers attempt to alter the data during transmission, the encryption breaks, rendering any tampered data unusable.
- Secure Channels: VPNs establish protected pathways for data exchange, effectively preventing attackers from altering communications or inserting harmful content.
Remember to choose a reliable VPN provider with a strict no-logs policy to ensure your online activity is never shared or stored.
4. Enforce HTTPS In Browsers
HTTPS secures the connection between your browser and websites by using Transport Layer Security (TLS) certificates to verify identity and encrypt data, protecting it from MITM attacks. However, not all websites automatically use HTTPS, which can expose you to potential risks.
To minimise this, you can force your browser to use HTTPS whenever available. For example, in Google Chrome, you can navigate to Privacy and Security and enable Always use secure connections.
This setting confirms that your browser automatically switches to HTTPS, then warns you if a website doesn’t offer a secure connection. Additionally, enabling Always Show Full URLs allows you to see a website’s security status at a glance, so you can see what authentication is being used.
5. Continuously Monitor Your Network
Proactively monitoring your network is essential for detecting and preventing MITM attacks.
Regularly reviewing network traffic allows you to spot unusual patterns or suspicious activity that might signal an attack in progress. Consider deploying intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDOS) to help detect unauthorised access and suspicious communication within your network.
Maintaining detailed logs of network activity can also provide critical insights if an attack occurs, helping you trace its origin, identify affected systems, and take swift action to minimise potential damage.
Keeping a close eye on your network and retaining these records keeps you in a better position to mitigate the damage, such as isolating compromised systems and preventing further exploitation.
The Bottom Line
Man-in-the-middle attacks pose a serious threat to businesses and individuals, placing sensitive information and communications. The man-in-the-middle attack prevention strategies above can help you reduce the risk of falling victim to these attacks.
At Net Consulting, we specialise in helping businesses safeguard their networks and sensitive assets from evolving threats like MITM attacks.
Contact us today to learn how our cybersecurity solutions can provide the protection and peace of mind your organisation needs.
