Compromised Passwords

Hackers Don’t Break In, They Log In

Did you know that one-third of malware breaches are caused by password-dumping malware? Compromised login credentials are involved in most data breaches, with 86% of web application attacks arising from this issue (Verizon, 2023). Understanding the root cause is the first step towards better password security and stronger identity protection.

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Weak or easily cracked passwords are a hacker’s dream. Threat actors can often find their way into multiple accounts and cause much damage by gaining access to even one password. A strong password is one of the best lines of defense against malicious cyber activity.

Credentials compromise is a serious threat that refers to the unauthorized access of user login credentials. Once obtained, these credentials can be used to infiltrate sensitive systems or data. The consequences of credential compromise can be severe, including financial loss, reputational damage, and liability issues.

Healthy password habits include avoiding password reuse, using complex combinations that include numbers, symbols, and uppercase and lowercase letters, as well as changing your passwords regularly.

The most efficient ways to keep passwords safe include using a password manager and enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA). A password manager is a great tool for storing and generating passwords and even securely sharing corporate credentials. As for MFA, it should be a must-have if it hasn’t been already adopted in your organization.

Identity security safeguards user and system identities from unauthorized access or misuse. To deliver complete protection, many identity security solutions, such as multi-factor authentication, credentials monitoring, and risk-based access control, must be implemented.

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How Do Attackers Compromise Passwords?

Since usernames and passwords are often the only hurdles to accessing systems that yield financial rewards, hackers have taken a keen interest in lifting them when possible. Some common ways to compromise this information include:

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Phishing and Spear Phishing

Phishing, which makes up 44% of social engineering incidents (Verizon, 2023), is a common tactic hackers use to send emails and text messaging to trick users into entering credentials on malicious web pages or forms. These phishing attempts can be highly convincing and even sophisticated enough to target and dupe individuals with a great deal of privileged system access, known as spear phishing.

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Dark Web Markets

Over 550 million stolen passwords have made their way onto the dark web since 2017 (CNET, 2021). Major data breaches can expose many user credentials and other personal information, including birthdays, credit card numbers, addresses, Social Security numbers, and more. Cybercriminals often package all that information for sale to other bad actors on the dark web.

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Brute Force Attacks

Knowing people tend to favor simple, easy-to-remember passwords, threat actors use brute force techniques to steal credentials. This involves many attempts to guess the correct password, often with automated tools that can circumvent limitations on authentication attempts and check tens of thousands to hundreds of millions of passwords per second.

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Evil Twin Access Points

Using an easy-to-find $99 device, cybercriminals can spoof a legitimate Wi-Fi hotspot and fool people into connecting. This technique enables them to observe network traffic, record user keystrokes, steal data and passwords, and more.

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Poor Password Practices and Password Reuse

44% of workers reuse passwords across personal and work-related accounts (Tech Republic, 2021). Password reuse, passwords based on personal information, and the lack of tools like password managers make it easy for threat actors to crack passwords.

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The State of Password Security

  • 65% of organizations deal with password reuse issues.
  • Passwords are easy to hack and provide only one line of defense.
  • Protecting passwords should be priority number one to prevent a leading cause of data breaches.
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Monitor Credentials Exposure

AuthPoint Total Identity Security combines authentication and credentials monitoring to proactively detect compromised usernames, passwords, and domains on the darknet.

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