Dive Brief:
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Researchers from Imperva said they found a loophole in file synchronization services (FSS) that could allow hackers to infiltrate corporate networks without stealing user names or passwords.
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FSS is commonly used to accommodate employees as they move within organizations.
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Researchers found attackers could hijack user accounts via FSS and remain undetected.
Dive Insight:
The Imperva researchers found all file synchronization applications they looked at provided continuous access to users’ cloud storage accounts via access tokens. According to Amichai Shulman, chief technology officer at Imperva, such attacks would be very hard to detect by antivirus programs, because there is no unusual activity to trigger such programs.
Hackers have already demonstrated interest in hacking trusted cloud services. In December, Blue Coat reported an attack campaign that used a Swedish file synchronization service — CloudMe — for command and control.