pop3_brute_external_internal

Explanation

This event is triggered by Netography's Fusion Portal when it detects a brute force password guessing attack against a Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3) mail client access server. This event specifically looks for activity from the Internet toward Internet facing POP3 servers on your network.

What to Look For

If internal POP3 servers are exposed to the Internet, it is very important to implement a strong password policy as two-factor authentication is not natively supported by the protocol. You should also consider enabling available server controls such as: app-specific passwords, auth-failure delays, temporary account locks, or Fail2ban. Check network logs for additional information and review endpoint security to ensure that sensitive information is secure.

If your organization does not need to use POP3, and your mail server supports a more secure protocol, consider disabling the POP3 protocol or blocking external access of POP3(s) ports (TCP/110 & TCP/995).

Related MITRE ATT&CK Categories

Brute Force, Technique T1110 - Enterprise

External Remote Services, Technique T1133 - Enterprise