The point: Attackers bypass multi-factor authentication through session and token theft, which is why password management alone does not provide sufficient protection.
Attackers are increasingly focusing on stealing sessions and authentication tokens instead of stealing passwords in order to bypass multi-factor authentication. Organizations must therefore extend their security measures beyond the login phase.
The focus of attacker strategies has fundamentally shifted: rather than relying on traditional password theft, attackers are increasingly targeting active sessions and authentication tokens. This approach allows them to bypass multi-factor authentication mechanisms because the already established authentication does not need to be performed again.
For CISOs, this represents a critical insight: focusing on login credentials and password policies is not sufficient if attackers can compromise already authenticated users. A password reset is useless if a token has already fallen into the hands of an attacker and that attacker uses this token to access the systems.
Organizations must reassess their security architecture: in addition to strong login procedures, mechanisms for monitoring and protecting active sessions must be implemented. This includes detecting anomalous session activity, validating token authenticity, and implementing access control mechanisms that extend beyond initial authentication.
Source: www.darkreading.com · Published 27 July 2026
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