Account Takeover: How to Prevent It

Account takeover (ATO) is the goal behind most phishing and breaches. Here's the prevention playbook.

Common attack paths

• Phishing for passwords or live OTP codes.
• Credential stuffing with reused passwords.
• Email account compromise (the master key to password resets).
• SIM swaps defeating SMS 2FA.

Your checklist

1. Protect your email first — it resets everything else.
2. Unique passwords + a manager.
3. Prefer app-based or passkey 2FA over SMS.
4. Use disposable addresses for low-trust accounts to shrink your exposure.
5. Watch for email bombing, which often masks an ATO in progress.