Naz.API Threat In K-12 Schools Uncovered During A Recent Google Workspace Cybersecurity Audit Call
Picture this: I’m helping out with the initial risk audit call, and things seem normal until an alarming discovery unfolded, shedding light on the vulnerability of student accounts and the importance of robust security measures.
I notice a bunch of student logins from countries all over the world. Now, there can be a number of legitimate reasons for this. Most of the time it’s students using VPNs to get around the device controls you probably have set up. But these logins were different. We’re talking Russia, China – you name it. Red flags waving everywhere!
We quickly pulled up Cloud Monitor’s Login Analyzer and, it turns out, those were not just students working on their homework. It was apparent that multiple accounts had been compromised.
Quick thinking led us to use the Live Email Search in Cloud Monitor to figure out what the compromised accounts were up to. Result? Suspicious activity galore! Some accounts were sending sensitive info like the account STMP and passwords to external email addresses. Yikes!
Naz.API In Schools: The Fix
To prevent further chaos, we suspended those rogue accounts, giving the district admin time to change passwords and get things back on track.
Then, we decided to dig a bit deeper. A check against the ‘;–have I been pwned? database, to which Cloud Monitor has an integration, revealed that some students were part of the recent release of a massive dataset of leaked credentials and plaintext passwords called Naz.API, impacting a whopping 71 million total accounts.
Naz.API, detailed in an article by CPO Magazine, highlights the gravity of the situation. With sensitive information exposed on such a massive scale, the potential consequences for students and school districts are immense.
Recognizing the urgency of the situation, we swiftly implemented login policies to suspend compromised accounts temporarily. This proactive measure aimed to safeguard the school district’s Google Workspace, preventing further unauthorized access and data leakage.
This incident underscores the vulnerability of student accounts in the face of evolving cyber threats and the necessity for cloud-specific security protocols.
That district wouldn’t have had a clue about this mess (at least not until far more damage had been done) without signing up for a free cybersecurity & safety audit using Cloud Monitor. Luckily, we spotted it during the call. This incident serves as a stark reminder that school districts need to prioritize securing student Google and Microsoft accounts. Implementing robust security measures, regular monitoring, and proactive responses are imperative to thwart cyber threats and protect sensitive information.
