How Brand Impersonation Leads to Account Takeover (ATO)
Brand impersonation and account takeover (ATO) are often treated as separate security problems. One is viewed as a phishing or brand abuse issue. The other is viewed as an authentication or fraud issue. Attackers often see them differently. Many ATO attacks begin long before a login attempt appears on a dashboard. They begin when a customer encounters a fake website, fraudulent search result, impersonating social media profile, cloned mobile app, or spoofed communication that appears legitimate.