6 Threat Actors Targeting Face Authentication in 2FA/MFA

Written by: Mikhaylo Pavlyuk, Digital Identity Consultant

From digital banking to e-commerce, face recognition is now a common layer in 2FA and MFA stacks. But as adoption rises, so does risk.

Behind every spoofed identity is a threat actor—and they’re more diverse than you think. Before we turn into the six types of threat actors exploiting face authentication vulnerabilities, let’s first explore why knowing this categorization is essential for strengthening your security posture.

Why This Matters for Business Cybersecurity

Prioritize Your Defenses: Not all threats are created equal. State-sponsored actors demand a different response than script kiddies or insider risks. Understanding who is most likely to target your system allows you to focus defenses where they matter most and avoid spreading resources too thin.

Pressure-Test Your Vendors: Are your face recognition providers regularly testing against the latest face biometric threats? Do they offer robust liveness detection and anomaly scoring? If not, you may be leaving your systems open to more than just theoretical risks.

Adjust Authentication Scenarios Based on Threats: By identifying the most likely threat actors targeting your system, you can change your authentication scenarios accordingly. For example, if you're dealing with criminal hacking syndicates, you might implement environmental controls + liveness PAD during high-value transactions, while adapting simpler flows for low-risk interactions (login attempts from known devices or password resets).

Future-Proof Compliance: Regulatory bodies are increasingly scrutinizing the use of biometrics in identity verification. Knowing the vectors of attack today prepares you to meet the security, privacy, and audit requirements of tomorrow.

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6 Threat Actors Targeting Face Authentication in 2FA / MFA

1. Nation-State Actors

State-sponsored threat actors, operating on behalf of national governments, primarily engage in cyber activities to achieve their geopolitical objectives.

Whether it’s surveillance, destabilization, or long-term espionage, these players bring serious resources to the table: skilled personnel, custom-built tools, and the patience to spend months—or even years—on a single campaign.

National states without advanced cyber programs often outsource to contractors, buy access to commercial hacking tools, or partner with organized criminal groups to get the job done.

2. Cyber (Digital) Mercenaries

Cyber mercenaries operate for whoever pays them the most: governments, corporations, or even shady third parties.

Their job? Anything from stealing trade secrets and launching espionage campaigns to knocking out infrastructure remotely across different jurisdictions, including both defensive and offensive cybersecurity operations.

Think of them as freelancers for digital warfare—highly skilled, highly motivated, and not bound by borders or ethics.

3. Criminal Hacking Syndicates

Criminal hacking syndicates work like digital mafias. They run phishing campaigns, spread malware, buy and sell breached data, and coordinate large-scale fraud.

But unlike lone hackers, these groups are global, collaborative, and built for scale.

Organized cybercrime continues to evolve and adapt as these syndicates develop increasingly sophisticated methods for exploiting sensitive personal and business data.

4. Technical Stalkers

Not all cyberattacks are about money or ideology—some are deeply personal.

Technical stalkers are individuals who use hacking skills to pursue private agendas: revenge, obsession, or harassment. This group often includes disgruntled former employees, rejected partners, or individuals with personal vendettas.

What sets them apart is not just intent, but persistence. Unlike opportunistic attackers, they may invest significant time and effort in their target—using advanced biometric spoofing techniques to compromise a specific person or organization. Their attacks don’t always make headlines, but they can be deeply damaging.

5. Script Kiddies

The term refers to inexperienced individuals who use pre-made tools, scripts, or tutorials to launch cyberattacks. They typically lack deep knowledge of systems, networks, or security architecture. Instead of writing their own exploits, they rely on what others have built.

While their technical skills are limited, the threat they pose shouldn’t be underestimated. With access to readily available spoofing kits and emulator software, even a novice can attempt to bypass facial recognition or overload verification systems with repeated attacks.

6. Unintentional Legal Users

Legal users can sometimes gain access to sensitive information unintentionally, often due to design flaws or the probabilistic nature of face recognition systems. These incidents may occur without any malicious intent but still pose significant security risks.

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2025-05-19 16:07 Articles BAF