FX.co ★ Apple Users Targeted With MFA Bombing Attacks

Apple Inc. users are currently facing a novel and alarming threat called multi-factor authentication (MFA) bombing attacks or push notification spam. Brian Krebs from Krebs on Security explains this technique involves a barrage of MFA requests sent to users, urging them to change their Apple ID passwords.

Users who select "Allow" are unknowingly giving hackers permission to access their Apple ID passwords and take over their accounts. This can impact all devices connected to the same ID. The goal of this attack is to scare users and prompt them to respond by flooding them with notifications and MFA messages, tricking them into resetting their passwords.

After this, the attackers make fake calls pretending to be Apple representatives, attempting to gather sensitive information under the pretense of securing the victim's account from the attack. The ultimate objective is to secure a one-time code to confirm a password change or login attempt.

Parth Patel, a startup founder in the AI field, shared his experience about his Apple devices receiving over 100 notifications seeking approval to reset his Apple password. The insistent nature of these notifications effectively locked up his devices until he addressed them. The culprits imitated the official Apple helpline and asked for an OTP that Patel had just received via text, emphasizing that it should not be shared with anyone.

Another individual informed Krebs that they encountered similar reset notifications over several days, followed by a call allegedly from Apple support. After hanging up and checking with Apple directly, it was confirmed that no support issue existed.

The above instances, along with others reported on Krebs' platform, underscore the need for Apple to enforce restrictions on password resets or improve access control measures. Given the commonality of phone number spoofing, the safest response is to end the call and reach out to Apple support directly. A one-time code should never be shared with anyone and Apple users are advised to take necessary measures to safeguard their accounts and devices from these devious attacks.