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The most common 2FA Bypass Attacks

1. Password reset

One of the easiest and, therefore, most common ways to bypass two-factor authentication is by simply utilizing the password reset function of websites and applications.

Although every login function should require the second authentication factor after two-factor authentication is enabled, one of them is often forgotten. A surprising number of platforms allow users to access an account after obtaining a password reset token without additional verification. Obviously, such a blatant security hole makes the job of attackers significantly easier.

2. Social Engineering

Another non-technical method of bypassing two-factor authentication is Social Engineering. While this notorious attack takes on many forms, they all share a common goal of tricking a person into giving away private information.

Even if the attacker has already obtained your user credentials, they still need to acquire the additional authentication factor to gain access to your account. To receive the required code from the victim, the criminal might call, text, or email them with a seemingly plausible justification. Of course, they will likely do so disguised as a trusted entity, such as Google or Apple, to minimize suspicion. Make sure to always double-check the sender’s identity, as well as the content of the text message, to avoid falling victim to a hacking attempt.