A growing cybersecurity threat known as 'cookie theft' or 'session hijacking' is allowing fraudsters to bypass standard security measures like passwords and two-factor authentication. When a user logs into a website, the browser stores a 'session cookie' that keeps the user logged in. If a hacker steals this digital file, they can import it into their own browser and effectively impersonate the user, gaining full access to their accounts as if they were the legitimate owner.

According to Marijus Briedis, chief technology officer at NordVPN, cookies have become a primary target for cybercriminals. Data from the firm indicates that 52 billion cookies were identified by their systems in the year leading up to June. This form of attack is particularly dangerous because it does not require the hacker to know the victim's login credentials; instead, they exploit the trust the website places in the session cookie. Once the session is hijacked, the attacker can perform actions such as checking balances or making unauthorized payments, often without triggering security alerts that would normally occur during a standard login attempt.