What is consent phishing (OAuth Exploits)? 

Consent phishing, also known as OAuth Exploits, is a form of cyberattack that exploits the truth recipients place on popular applications. By emulating legitimate authentication pages, malicious actors can gain access to valuable files and emails. 

Understanding consent phishing

Consent phishing is a cyberattack method that uses OAuth authorization to trick users into giving malicious applications access to their cloud accounts. An Information & Computer Security study explains the difference between authentication and authorization, “Authentication is the process of validating that a user is who they claim to be. In contrast, authorisation limits the data or actions an authenticated user can access.” 

Consent phishing operates differently than traditional phishing because, in traditional phishing, attackers attempt to steal login credentials directly,. In consent phishing, attackers rely on OAuth’s token-based authorization mechanism. 

Attackers create applications resembling legitimate services, prompting users to consent to access permissions like viewing, modifying, or managing files and emails without passwords. 

What are OAuth permissions?

OAuth permissions are specific access rights that a user gives a third party when they allow it to interact with another service on their behalf. For example, when a user connects an app to their email account like a calendar or grammar correction app, OAuth determines what this app can access in the account. 

How consent phishing is targeted against email accounts 

1. Attackers begin by sending a phishing email or message containing a link disguised as a legitimate request from a service or application like Google Workspace. 
2. When staff clicks the link, they are directed to an authorization screen that requests access to their email account through a third-party application. 
3. On the authorization page, users can see a list of permissions that the application requests. Because the application appears safe and the OAuth process is familiar, users may not scrutinize these permissions. 
4. When users authorize the application, an OAuth token is generated and issued to the malicious application. The token allows the application to access the email account directly by the email provider's API bypassing the need for usernames and passwords. 
5. Attackers have access to the user’s email account as long as the token remains valid. 

The solution: HIPAA compliant email 

Secure HIPAA compliant email platforms like Paubox eliminate the vulnerabilities found in traditional email accounts. Unlike standard providers that rely on common OAuth permissions to grant access to accounts, platforms like Paubox API especially are built for secure direct communication that does not lend itself to unauthorized application access. 

FAQs

What is cyber exploitation? 

The unauthorized use of computer systems or networks to access confidential data. 

Which section of HIPAA requires staff training? 

The Security Rule requires that covered entities provide training for their workforce members as a safeguard for electronic PHI (ePHI).