Overview

This article will explain the ACSIA alert called "user account change".

Explaining the user account change

"User account change", in the context of cybersecurity, refers to any modification made to a user's account settings, privileges, or access permissions within a computer system or a network. Such changes could be made by the user themselves, administrators, or, in some cases, by attackers seeking to gain unauthorized access or elevate their privileges within the system.

Example of a "user account change" attack:

Let's consider a scenario where a company has a network of computers, and each employee has a user account with specific access rights and permissions to access various resources and files.

An attacker with malicious intent wants to gain higher privileges within the company's network to access sensitive data and gain control over critical systems.

The attacker manages to obtain login credentials (username and password) of a regular employee through phishing or other methods. With these credentials, the attacker logs into the employee's account.

Once inside the system, the attacker attempts a "user account change" attack. They navigate to the administrative panel or user settings, pretending to be the employee whose account they have accessed.

The attacker then modifies the user account settings, trying to elevate their privileges to gain administrative access or access to more sensitive information than their original account would allow.

In this case, the "user account change" attack aims to deceive the system into thinking that the attacker is an authorized user with higher privileges. By doing so, the attacker seeks to gain unrestricted access to the company's sensitive data, systems, or networks.

ACSIA alerts you when there are any user account changes on your infrastructure.