How a Security Loophole Nearly Led to an Account Takeover
It started with a single unexpected notification.
A high-profile user received an unusual authentication request on their mobile device—but they hadn’t initiated it. At first, it seemed like an error. But within minutes, another request followed. The user, suspecting something was wrong, reported the incident.
What followed was a forensic investigation led by AKATI Sekurity, a cybersecurity consulting and digital forensics firm. The objective was clear: trace the source of the unauthorized request, determine how it happened, and assess whether security weaknesses had been exploited.
The First Red Flags
The investigation began with a deep dive into login records, authentication logs, and system activity tracking. It quickly became clear that these requests weren’t random. They had originated from a different mobile device entirely, linked to another user account. Further investigation revealed that the device belonged to a former employee. This wasn’t an outsider blindly trying their luck—this was someone familiar with the system.
Reconstructing the Access Attempt
To understand exactly what happened, forensic analysts pieced together a timeline of events. The unauthorized access attempt was methodical. First, multiple authentication requests were sent in quick succession—suggesting a deliberate effort to trigger the system into verifying a new device. But the real red flag appeared just minutes later. The user who initiated the request logged out of their own account, attempted to gain access to the target user’s account, and then quickly logged back into their own.
The sequence of events strongly suggested an attempt to manipulate the authentication system into allowing a device switch—effectively handing control of one account to another user.
Covering Their Tracks
The forensic team also discovered that logins and device activity weren’t just irregular—they were strategic. Shortly after the failed attempt, the suspect account was accessed again, and within minutes, it was deactivated. Deactivating an account in this context wasn’t just about closing access. It was likely an attempt to erase activity recordsbefore deeper security reviews could flag the incident.
The Security Weaknesses Exposed
This case highlighted key security gaps that made the attempt possible.
First, multi-factor authentication (MFA) was limited to single-use codes, with no secondary verification layer. This meant that if a user could manipulate the way device authentication worked, they had a chance of gaining access without needing the account owner’s direct involvement.
Second, the system didn’t flag repeated authentication requests from different devices as high-risk activity. The attacker had multiple chances to attempt the switch before anything seemed suspicious.
Third, there was no automated detection system in place to alert administrators when an authentication request was closely followed by unusual login patterns. Without real-time monitoring, the attack had a window of opportunity.
Lessons Learned: Insider Threats Are Just as Dangerous as External Attacks
This wasn’t an external hacker breaking through a firewall. It was an insider threat—someone who knew the system and attempted to exploit an authentication loophole. Many organizations assume their biggest cybersecurity risks come from outside threats. But internal users—whether malicious or careless—can be just as dangerous, if not more.
For companies handling financial data and sensitive transactions, waiting until an incident happens is no longer an option. Security must be proactive, adaptive, and continuously tested against real-world attack scenarios.
This wasn’t a catastrophic data breach, but it was a warning sign. A failed access attempt today could be a successful compromise tomorrow if security controls remain unchanged. The key takeaway? Security isn’t just about blocking attacks—it’s about detecting and responding before damage is done.
AKATI Sekurity specializes in digital forensics, cybersecurity assessments, and advanced penetration testing to help organizations identify vulnerabilities before attackers do. If your authentication systems haven’t been stress-tested against real-world threats, now is the time to act.
