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What You Need to Know About Multifactor Authentication Fatigue Attacks and How they can be Prevented
Multifactor authentication is a security measure that requires users to provide a second form of verification before they can log into a corporate network. It has long been considered essential for keeping fraudsters out. However, cybercriminals have been discovering increasingly clever ways to bypass it.
During an attack on Uber’s IT systems in 2022, the hackers did not use any sophisticated tactics to gain access. Instead, they bombarded an employee with repeated login requests until, out of sheer frustration, the employee approved one.
This type of cyberattack is known as an “MFA fatigue attack” and poses a real risk to organisations, says Anna Collard, SVP Content Strategy and Evangelist at KnowBe4 AFRICA, a cybersecurity training designer.
“MFA fatigue attacks, also known as prompt spamming or authentication bombing, exploit human vulnerability, rather than relying on high-tech hacking methods,” she explains. “These attacks involve sending continuous push notifications to a target who has already provided their username and password, aiming to irritate or confuse them into unwittingly granting the attacker access to their account or system.”
With Uber, the attacker likely bought the contractor’s Uber corporate username and password on the dark web. The attacker then made repeated attempts to log into the victim’s Uber account. Each time, the victim received a request to approve a two-factor login, which blocked access at first. However, eventually, and after the attacker contacted the contractor on WhatsApp claiming they were from Uber IT and that the only way to get rid of the never ending notifications was to accept one, the contractor accepted one request, allowing the attacker to successfully log in.
Previously, cybersecurity experts believed that Multifactor Authentication (MFA) was a foolproof method to protect corporate IT systems from hackers. “Now we’re seeing attackers finding ways around it by bombarding the victim with scores of MFA requests or by tricking them over the phone,” says Collard. This tactic, similar to a swarm of bees overwhelming someone, is a simple yet effective social engineering technique used by hackers. “By bugging you repeatedly until you give in, malicious actors can manipulate users into approving fraudulent access attempts,” says Collard.
How can you prevent it?
The best way to prevent MFA fatigue attacks in organisations is not to use push notifications. “While MFA provides an extra layer of security, it’s not foolproof,” she asserts. “From a cybersecurity perspective, I would recommend that organisations disable push notifications altogether and rather use alternative verification methods.”
An example of a better verification method is number matching. “This involves matching a unique code provided by the authentication app with the code displayed on the screen during the login process,” explains Collard.
A challenge-response method is another effective way of providing additional security. This method asks a user a specific question to verify their identity or to perform a task in response to a challenge. “A challenge-response method is more difficult for hackers to bypass. It can involve mechanisms like biometric authentication, in which users must scan their fingerprints or irises or use facial recognition to gain access to a network.” However, both of the above are not immune against so-called man in the middle or social engineering attacks tricking the users to hand over their OTP or response to the fraudster.
Another effective verification method is FIDO2, an open authentication standard that allows users to log in without using passwords. “You can implement FIDO2 using hardware security keys,” she explains. Typically, USB sticks store the user’s private key, while the public key is stored on the authentication server. As soon as the user enters their username and password, the system requests them to use the hardware key. “It is more resistant to phishing as it works on a challenge-response protocol and doesn’t rely on a one-time PIN that can be intercepted,” she adds.
Mindfulness is key
As with all hacking attempts, it’s crucial that users remain calm and mindful, rather than reacting emotionally. “Stay tuned into your body’s responses when dealing with potential cybersecurity threats, whether they are phishing emails or MFA fatigue attacks,” says Collard. “If something feels strange, like if the situation is putting you under undue pressure, listen to that cue and don’t respond in a knee-jerk fashion. In this way, you’ll keep a straight head and thwart potential data breaches.”
MoMo PSB, MTN Nigeria’s fintech powerhouse, sealed a game-changing pact with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) on February 3 at its Victoria Island headquarters, unleashing digital and financial tools to turbocharge SMEs nationwide for seamless operations, revenue surges, and sustainable scaling.
MoMo PSB, SMEDAN
The partnership arms SMEDAN-registered merchants with MoMo’s multi-channel arsenal—apps, POS, USSD, partner portals, and custom platforms—to hoover payments across streams, automate payrolls, juggle tills and shop chains, and boss core business metrics from one slick dashboard.
This powerhouse duo targets Nigeria’s SME engine room, where digital chokepoints throttle growth, injecting MTN’s MoMo muscle to slash friction and unlock efficiencies for mama-put hustles to mid-tier factories alike.
Industry watchers hail the MoU as a masterstroke in President Tinubu’s economic revival playbook, fusing government SME scaffolding with private-sector fintech firepower to birth a new breed of digitally dominant entrepreneurs primed for AfCFTA conquests.
MTN Foundation and SAIL Innovation Lab have roared into Phase Two of their blockbuster Teachers Fellowship Programme, onboarding 5,000 elite educators from Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT since January 13 to turbocharge public schools with cutting-edge digital wizardry and global teaching firepower.
MTN
This mobile-first crusade, laser-focused on arming primary and secondary school titans for the digital economy showdown, kicks off with a grueling four-week virtual bootcamp via WhatsApp and Google Classroom—slashing travel barriers for even the remotest rural warriors.
Organisers promise peer-to-peer fireworks and real-time gut-checks, capping Stage One with a virtual gala saluting milestones before culling the pack to a fierce “Top 500” via engagement, assessments, and hustle for Phase Two’s inquiry-based mastery and deep-dive digital metamorphosis.
MTN Foundation’s Executive Director Odunayo Sanya lit the fuse: “Teachers are the backbone of our education system. By empowering them with digital competencies and innovative teaching methods, we are directly investing in the future of our youth.
This Fellowship Programme is designed to ensure that our educators are not just keeping pace with global best practices but are actively shaping the next generation of innovators and leaders.”
Nigeria’s heftiest private teacher uprising scales from last year’s triumphs, minting classroom commandos as state ambassadors to ignite inquiry-driven, tech-fueled learning revolutions coast-to-coast.
Onafriq Nigeria Payments Ltd, a CBN licenced payment service provider, partners with The Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) to pilot the continent’s first wallet-based outbound payments from Nigeria to Ghana – fully in Naira and instant, without relying on hard currency conversion, in partnership with Banks and Mobile Money Operators.
The pilot service, approved by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), enables cross-border intra-Africa payments for individuals, merchants, and traders.
In particular, the service will benefit SMEs, the real engine of intra-African trade; all now have access to a faster, cheaper way to reach customers and suppliers across the border.
By reducing barriers to cross-border trade, the new service will allow these businesses to grow their addressable markets and activity. From the 1st of December, this service will be fully operational for a 6-month period.
Through the partnership with PAPSS, Onafriq is supporting the operationalization of the AfCFTA (Africa Continental Free Trade Area) mandate.
The mandate itself is driving tariff-free trade for the 54 member states of AfCFTA. Within the partnership itself, Onafriq provides the mobile money rails, with an ecosystem consisting of over 1 billion mobile wallets.
Meanwhile, PAPSS brings a network of over 160 commercial banks, representing an ecosystem of more than 400 million bank accounts across its 19 African countries of operation.
The two partners are essentially seamlessly connecting two worlds: mobile money and banking. As a consequence, intra-African trade transactions will take place more easily and opportunities will be created.
Currently, Africa is made up of bank and mobile-led markets, with siloes often inhibiting transactions between these economies. However, this partnership will remove these boundaries. With over one billion mobile wallets and 500 million bank wallets across Africa, this partnership will allow for cross-border collaboration at scale.
This partnership builds on Onafriq and PAPSS’ existing partnership for payments into Ghana, announced earlier this year.
Mxolisi Msutwana, Managing Director Anglophone West Africa said, “Our work with PAPSS shows what collaboration at scale can unlock—seamless, secure connections between banking systems and mobile money ecosystems.
“This is how we open bi-directional trade corridors, reduce costs for businesses, and give African enterprises the rails they need to trade with confidence in their own currencies. The vision is continental, but it starts with practical steps like this one.”
Ositadimma Ugwu, Chief Information Officer, PAPSS, added “Too often, African businesses and individuals see borders as roadblocks instead of opportunities. With this step, we’re challenging that mindset, giving Nigerians the ability to send value next door with the same ease as sending a text message.
“Our vision is simple: make Africa’s borders invisible to payments. This pilot makes that a reality, moving us closer to a continent where payments don’t pause at the border.”
This new Nigeria-to-Ghana outbound capability builds on the successful Ghana-to-Nigeria instant payments corridor launched earlier this year – further proof that Africa’s payments future is local, instant, and inclusive.
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