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CIAM
December 12, 2025
7 min read

Guide: 10 Essential Tips to Prevent Account Takeovers

Renjith Babu

Account takeover (ATO) attacks are surging. Credential stuffing, phishing, and social engineering give attackers access to customer accounts, leading to fraud, data theft, and brand damage. Here are 10 essential tips to prevent account takeovers.

24B
Credentials exposed in breaches
↑ 65%
ATO attacks YoY increase
$12K
Average cost per ATO incident
1 in 4
Users reuse passwords

10 Essential Prevention Tips

1

Enable Phishing-Resistant MFA

Use FIDO2 passkeys or hardware keys—not SMS OTP

2

Implement Credential Screening

Check passwords against known breach databases

3

Deploy Bot Detection

Block automated credential stuffing attacks

4

Use Behavioral Biometrics

Detect anomalous login patterns and behaviors

5

Enable Account Lockout (Smartly)

Rate limit attempts without enabling DoS

6

Implement Device Recognition

Flag logins from new or suspicious devices

7

Monitor for Impossible Travel

Detect geographically impossible login sequences

8

Secure Password Reset Flows

Reset flows are often the weakest link

9

Enable Login Notifications

Alert users to new device/location logins

10

Adopt Passwordless Where Possible

No password = nothing to steal

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About SecureAuth

SecureAuth provides identity and access management solutions that enable enterprises to implement customized, resilient authentication infrastructure. Through Continuous Authority, flexible deployment options, and deep composable capabilities, SecureAuth helps organizations defend against modern identity threats while maintaining usability and operational efficiency.

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