what is Credential Stuffing Attack?
Credential stuffing is the use of a collection of stolen usernames and passwords to gain unrelated access of other user accounts. Billions of hackers use Credential stuffing in past few years. These credentials are used for to takeover everything accounts, passwords, usernames and so more. Credential stuffing attacks are the most common methods for cybercriminals to steal unrelated usernames and passwords.
Cybercriminals rely on human error to make their Credential stuffing attacks successful, by using the same username or password on many different sites. Research shows that about 85 percent of all users recycle their username or passwords on many different accounts.
How is Credential Stuffing carried out?
Obviously, hacker’s doe’s not stolen credentials by manually they need billions of stolen login credentials to get the success of their Credential stuffing attacks.
Cracked credentials are packed into botnets that launch the automated login attempts. One botnet can be used in thousands of login attempts in an hour. For instance, in the year of 2016 a credential attack used a botnet that sent more than 270,000 login requests on various sites in an hour.
How credential stuffing attacks are effective?
Credential stuffing is easiest and effective attacks with a great rate of return because every element of Credential stuffing can be automated. Director of digital risk solutions Angel Grant states in The Daily Swig.
“Today, there are about billions of stolen credentials present to buy in the dark web, and its means they’re being offered at very low prices”, $1-2 per account.
US threat intel estimates the success rate of credential attempts which is about 1-3%. This may be a very low value, but when you scaled it up to, say, one million username or passwords are the victim of credential attacks, cybercriminals have enough potential to enjoy a huge return on investment.
Most important thing, if malicious hackers can easily attach on one account, that’s mean, they can also attempt to attack on others accounts of the same user.
How you can detect Credential stuffing attacks?
There are many ways to detect credential stuffing attack.
- Check abnormal attempts of login to an account.
- Check access attempts to various accounts.
- Finding known malicious endpoints to use the credential by their IP address or fingerprinting methods.
- Finding automation software use in the login process.
- Eliminate login that are based on credentials and replace these logins with others password.
How you can protect yourself from a Credential Stuffing Attack?
The best and excellent ways to protect yourself from Credential attacks are the following.
- The simplest or easy way for most of the user’s to protect yourself is to use unique passwords or username for each website or each account. This way is best for that person who has very sensitive information such as bank account or credit card details.
- Two factors authentication or multiple factor authentication make Credential account attack harder for hackers. These depend on second means of validation, or on requiring your password or username.
- If you find any difficulty or confusion about remembering various passwords or usernames then you should use a reliable password manager. But be sure about its security.
Protect Your Passwords
Your password is very important for you and it is like a key to your house. It should be unique, powerful, and most important thing, you should keep it in a safe and secure place at all times.
These should be memorable. You can also try various password tools that can help you to make your password unique or memorable. Then this can be hard for hackers to attack.
Final thoughts
Credential stuffing attacks are the most useable way to take passwords, usernames or other credentials stuff. But by taking some precautions you can prevent yourself and your sensitive data. The best defense against it the use of unique passwords for each account or each site.
Hope, this article will help you to protect your sensitive data, like your bank account information. Go, now and keep your sensitive data in a secure manner.
