Episode 90 — Out-of-Band Attacks: when “separate channel” becomes the threat
Out-of-band mechanisms are often introduced to increase reliability or strengthen authentication, but CloudNetX scenarios highlight that these separate channels can become high-value attack targets. This episode defines out-of-band channels as alternate pathways for access, recovery, or control, such as management interfaces, backup communication links, or secondary authentication methods. The first paragraph focuses on why OOB is attractive to attackers: it often bypasses primary controls, is less monitored, and can provide privileged access during emergencies when standards are relaxed. It explains that OOB design must preserve strong identity verification, strict reachability boundaries, and clear accountability, because compromise of an out-of-band path can negate other security measures. The episode frames OOB as a capability that must be secured with the same rigor as production access, not as an exception.
