Cookie Theft: How Hackers Hijack Your Online Accounts
Session cookie theft lets fraudsters access your accounts without a password. Here's how the attack works and why it's a growing threat.
Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting so-called "session cookies" — small data files that websites use to keep users logged in — as a way to bypass passwords and gain unauthorized access to bank accounts, email, and other sensitive services, according to a report from The Guardian.
When a user logs into an online account, a website issues a session cookie that acts as a temporary digital key, confirming the user's identity for the duration of their visit. If a fraudster is able to steal that cookie before the session ends, they can effectively impersonate the account holder without ever needing a username or password, a technique security researchers call "session hijacking."
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The threat is particularly insidious because it can unfold invisibly. A person may complete what appears to be a routine and secure online banking session, close their device, and remain entirely unaware that their authenticated session has been cloned and exploited by an attacker operating in the background.
Session hijacking represents a broader challenge for cybersecurity defenses that rely heavily on password protection and two-factor authentication, since both measures can be rendered ineffective once a valid session cookie has already been obtained by a malicious actor.
Security awareness remains one of the primary defenses available to ordinary users, including logging out of accounts rather than simply closing browser tabs, avoiding public Wi-Fi for sensitive transactions, and keeping software updated to limit exposure to cookie-stealing malware. Continue reading at Business | The Guardian.
