CompTIA Security+ Exam Notes

CompTIA Security+ Exam Notes
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Sunday, October 27, 2024

Understanding Watering Hole Attacks: Targeted Cyber Threats

 Watering Hole Attack

A "watering hole attack" in cybersecurity is a targeted attack strategy where a hacker compromises a legitimate website frequently visited by a specific group of users (like a company's employees or people within a particular industry) and infects it with malware, essentially waiting for members of that group to visit the site and become infected with the malicious code; the name comes from predators in the wild who lie in wait near watering holes to catch prey.

Target specific groups:

Unlike general phishing attacks, watering hole attacks aim to infect a specific group of users by targeting websites they commonly visit.

Stealthy approach:

Since the attack occurs on a seemingly legitimate website, users are less likely to suspect malicious activity, making it harder to detect.

Exploiting vulnerabilities:

The attacker exploits vulnerabilities on the compromised website to deliver malware when a targeted user visits.

Example: A hacker might compromise a popular news website frequented by employees of a particular company and embed malicious code on the site, infecting any employee who visits the website.

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