A watering hole attack is a social engineering attack where a website, frequented by a specific group of people, is infected with malware. This tactic exploits users’ trust in legitimate websites and their tendency to frequent familiar online destinations.
Example:
Alex is an attacker seeking to steal cryptocurrency wallets. He infiltrates a popular cryptocurrency forum and adds comments that contain malware links. When a member in the group clicks on these links, their devices unknowingly become infected with malware. Ales is then attempts to access their digital wallets and make unauthorized transactions.
Prevention Tips:
- Use up-to-date security software to detect and block malware.
- Regularly update your operating system, browser, and plugins to patch vulnerabilities.
- Exercise caution when visiting websites, especially those requiring sensitive information.
- Enable browser security features like pop-up blockers and safe browsing modes.