Hackers are using a devious ruse called “watering hole attack” to prey on unsuspecting businesses and compromise their systems.
Learn how watering hole attacks work, why businesses like yours are at risk, and the steps you can take to protect your company from this insidious threat.
What Is A Watering Hole Attack?
A watering hole attack is a form of social engineering attack that entices potential victims to a particular website or online resource.
Hackers identify websites that are regularly visited by their intended targets (e.g., a particular company’s employees). These are usually trusted sites, like industry forums, vendor portals, or news sites for your field.
Once they know the “watering hole,” they break into that site and inject something harmful—usually malicious code or software. When you visit the site, the harmful code runs in the background without you even noticing. It might install malware on your computer, steal your passwords, or give the hackers access to your business network.
Hackers can even customize the attack so it only activates for specific visitors—like people from your company. You’re not randomly stumbling into a bad site; the attack is waiting for you in a place you trust.
For instance, in 2015, hackers attacked Forbes using a watering hole tactic. They used vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer and Adobe Flash Player to change Forbes’ “Thought of the Day” feature into a trap. Any unprotected devices that visited the site got infected with malware.
It’s all done quietly, so you don’t see it happening. By the time you realize something’s wrong, the hackers might already have what they wanted.
Why Hackers Target Businesses
Hackers target businesses because they see opportunities to get something valuable. Whether it’s money, customer data, trade secrets, or access to a bigger network, businesses often have resources that hackers want.
Think about all the sensitive information your business handles—customer details, financial records, or even your business plans. If hackers get their hands on that, they can sell it, use it to blackmail you, or exploit it in other ways.
Another reason businesses are big targets is because of the people who work there. It all comes down to the human element. Hackers know employees might click on links, download third-party apps, or visit websites without thinking twice. They use watering hole attacks to take advantage of your trust in familiar sites.
Plus, businesses today don’t operate in isolation; they often work with supply chain partners, third-party vendors, and managed service providers (MSPs). This means that a breach at one business can quickly cascade into a major security incident for multiple organizations. A hacker might even target a smaller, less secure partner company as a “back door” into a larger, more lucrative target.
It’s not just large corporations they’re after, either. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are targeted because hackers assume they don’t have as much security in place.
How To Protect Your Business From Watering Hole Attacks
Protecting your business from watering hole attacks takes some smart steps. Hackers can be incredibly clever, like in February 2019, when Trend Micro found that hackers used Microsoft’s VBScript to pull code from GitHub, change it into an exploit, and infect devices in several stages. They even used private Slack channels to lure people, which shows this was an advanced attack.
When it comes to safeguarding your business against such threats, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
1. Keep On Patching
Hackers love finding vulnerabilities and defects in software, like outdated browsers or plugins. Make sure all your programs, including browsers, Adobe Flash (if you still use it), and operating systems, are always up to date. Updates often fix security holes.
2. Invest In Endpoint Protection
This is a critical layer of defense for businesses of all sizes. With the right endpoint protection solution in place, your systems can automatically detect and block malware before it has a chance to infect your systems. Plus, it can provide network monitoring capabilities that quickly detect and respond to any suspicious activity on your network.
3. Build Your Human Firewall
An educated team can identify phishing emails. These emails are one of the most common ways that hackers obtain access to systems. Train your employees to recognize suspicious links or odd changes on trusted websites. Remind them not to click on pop-ups or download files from unverified sources.
4. Set Up Real-time Website Traffic Monitoring
Many website monitoring solutions allow you to receive alerts when unusual traffic patterns are detected, such as a sudden spike in traffic from a particular location or IP address. Hackers could target your site as a watering hole to attack your partners or customers. Regular security checks help catch any tampering.
5. Use The Old “Lock And Key” Approach
Not every employee needs access to everything. Implement role-based access control (RBAC): RBAC allows you to assign specific access privileges to different users based on their job roles and responsibilities.
6. Enforce Password Rotation Policies
Regularly changing passwords can help prevent hackers from using stolen credentials to gain unauthorized access to your systems. Also, use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to provide additional verification beyond a simple password.
7. Plan For The Worst
Have a response plan in case your business gets hit. This includes backing up data continuously and knowing who to call for help, like a Cybersecurity expert.
Remember, hackers are always looking for new maneuvers and ploys, so being alert and proactive is the best way to protect your business.
FAQ
Why Is It Called A Watering Hole Attack?
At a “watering hole,” hackers infect trusted websites that groups of users frequently visit. The term comes from animal predators that wait by watering holes, ready to attack when their prey is distracted. Similarly, hackers target users when they let their guard down, allowing malware to creep into their systems.
Why Are Businesses At Risk From Watering Hole Attacks?
Businesses are at risk because they often rely on specific trusted websites for news, work-related tasks, or partnerships. Hackers know this and use it to their advantage, infecting these sites with malware to target businesses. Once infected, hackers can steal sensitive data or cause other harm to your system.
How Can I Protect My Business From Watering Hole Attacks?
To protect your business, keep your software and security tools patched and updated, train employees to determine suspicious activity, and use endpoint protection for all your devices. Monitor websites your business relies on, secure your web applications, and be cautious about visiting unknown sites. Having a response plan in place can also help if an attack ensues.
